Broken
by AG1
Summary: Complete. Max is captured during a mission to White's base. How much time do the other transgenics have to help her? MAish
1. Alternate Exit

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: This takes place post Freak Nation, which is mentioned in passing during this chapter. It's just a story that's been rolling around in my head and I finally decided to post it. We'll see where it goes and how long it takes to get there. Feel free to let me know what you think, but don't hold your breath (passing out from a lack of oxygen is generally considered a bad thing) for long chapters or fast and frequent updates unless I get extraordinarily inspired.

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Chapter 1 - Alternate Exit

Taking a sip of her drink, Max started a mental "to do" list. Joshua could help distribute supplies while Mole and Dix continued to gather equipment for their information systems and computer network. Logan even got some of the lower-end extra equipment to rebuild his Eyes Only system. The castoffs from headquarters provided him with a better setup than he had before, and with the help of his dedicated assistant EO was reestablishing himself as the voice to rescue the helpless and disenfranchised.

Max sighed and her gaze wandered across the room to where Alec and Sketchy played pool. At least, Sketchy tried his best to win, and Alec appeared to be keeping the game moderately interesting for himself by coming up with his own personal challenges. At the moment he alternated shots, making one right-handed and the next with his left. Her thoughts drifting back to leadership responsibilities, Max decided that Alec would help the most by continuing to organize the new transgenics that flooded Terminal City every day. He had been able to satisfy almost everyone as he assigned quarters and matched up partial units according to their skills, personalities, and compatibility.

"Y'know, you could go over and talk 'stead of just mooning over him," OC interrupted Max's thoughts as she sat down with another pitcher. Max watched Alec pat Sketchy's shoulder before walking toward their table and realized she had been staring.

"I'm not mooning," she answered irritably, scowling at her friend. "I'm trying to figure out how to organize a city with no resources and a tenuous relationship with the surrounding public and national government."

"Mmm-hmmm." Cindy sounded less than convinced. Max started to defend herself when Alec arrived at the table and plopped into a chair.

"Hello ladies." He poured himself a drink and turned to Max. "So, Logan have a hot date tonight?"

"Maybe. I didn't ask. Not exactly the kind of conversation to bring up with an ex-boyfriend if you really think about it." She rolled her eyes.

"But you're still friends, right? Friends know about each other's love lives." Grinning slightly he leaned an elbow on the table and sat with his chin in his hand, as if waiting for a story about her relationship.

"Friends also know when to give each other space," she retorted. "I don't know what Logan's doing tonight, and obviously I should have gone somewhere else to think."

"Why not be honest, Max," Alec prodded, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms. "You're here because you can't stand to let me out of your sight." He smirked as she sputtered in indignation. "Nothing about that pool game was exciting to watch, but you couldn't seem to keep your eyes off me."

She punched his shoulder. "You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? Maybe I was just deciding whether or not we need to find any alternate sewer exits from Terminal City," she answered, knowing Alec hated the subterranean tunnels of Seattle, with good reason. She looked at him innocently. "Since your game's over it seems like you have some time on your hands at the moment." Standing before he had a chance to respond, she called over her shoulder, "Catch you later OC. I've got work to do tonight."

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Feet pounded the pavement and breathing started coming in ragged gasps. The chase sped blindly through the dark maze of streets without streetlights to provide direction. Even the moon and stars stayed mostly hidden behind a rolling blanket of clouds. The pursuers closed the distance from behind, faster than a human should be able to run. Suddenly, the slick, windowless brick walls joined one another, bringing the dark tunnel to a dead end.

"That's it. Put your hands behind your head," a cold voice commanded, accompanied by the click of a gun. "Turn slowly and get on your knees."

Chilly water shocked skin, soaking through the cloth covering knees that dropped to the pavement. Dim silver reflections glinted in the small ripples of the puddles. The hard surface made wet fabric grind into knees and shins as the surrendering figure turned slightly in the direction of the speaker. A sudden shot caused larger ripples to slosh away from the body as it slumped to the ground.


	2. Catch the News

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: This takes place post Freak Nation, although some of the earlier stuff may not have happened quite the same way. Yes, this chapter is really short, but I thought I should at least post something. Maybe starting this story during midterms, papers, job applications, etc. wasn't the greatest idea. Hopefully I'll squeeze out some writing time this week or weekend. Thanks for the encouraging reviews!

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Chapter 2 - Catch the News

An arm draped across Max's shoulders as she stood at the head of a meeting table. A supply crew hauled it into headquarters a few days before after finding a pile of furniture in one of the derelict buildings. Without looking, she shrugged it off. "Not now, Alec. Keep your hands to yourself."  


He allowed his hand to brush across her lower back as his arm moved downward, but received no response—no punching, no threats. Still trying to judge her mood, Alec remarked lightly, "Good morning, sunshine. If I didn't know better I'd say someone got up on the wrong side of bed this morning. But since we all know you probably didn't sleep—"

"I said not now," she interrupted him, frustration flashing across her face. "You didn't catch the news this morning?"

Her tone and expression alerted him that this news broadcast was presumably not one of the very few that brought good tidings to the transgenic population.

"Obviously not. What's going on?" he asked carefully. His thoughts went back the job he pulled after leaving Crash the night before. Silently he wracked his brain, trying to think of any security cameras he could possibly have missed in the building or on the property.

The hallway was clear, just a long expanse of white tile ceiling and floor, not even any ventilation grates to provide a hiding place for video surveillance equipment. The camera guarding the office door provided a false sense of security to whoever ordered its installation, because its routine sweeps of the corridor were easily avoided. Inside, the room granted easy access to goods and information. The safe could have at least been hidden behind a painting that matched the rest of the room's decor. No place on the entire mission route could hide cameras from an experienced thief. Easy, clean.

Max turned to stare out a dirty window, looking across the ragged landscape of Terminal City.

Blood. Red swirls joining the flow of water in the gutter and disappearing through a storm drain into black oblivion. 

Both transgenics shook their heads slightly, clearing away the mental pictures. Noticing her slight movement, Alec stepped toward Max and risked ignoring her earlier command by gently placing his hand on her shoulder.

"What happened?"

She took a deep breath, exhaled, and began in a flat voice, "Sector cops found bodies this morning. Three of them. Probably forced to their knees before they were executed with one shot each. Blood everywhere. Side street in a pretty empty part of town two miles from here, maybe a little more."

Alec's hand slid off her shoulder and dropped to his side. "Who has weapons access and left TC last night?"

She turned to him in confusion. Dragging her mind from the numb course it had run since hearing the news, Max forced her thoughts in order and realized the gaping hole in her floundering report. She shut her emotions behind the door her childhood training provided and turned to face Alec wearing a blank expression. Internally he cringed as she reported like a soldier to a commanding officer.

"Transgenics weren't the killers. They were the victims."


	3. Press Hounds

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: Not an epic, but at least it's longer than the last chapter. :) I'm getting slammed with papers and stuff, so it may be a while before the next update.

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Chapter 3 - Press Hounds

Alec's jaw clenched briefly before he put on a deliberately blank expression, mirroring the one Max wore. "Were the victims Terminal City residents?"

"No," Max answered, shaking her head. "From their location we think they planned to come here before someonestopped them. All three were X-7s, probably somewhere around thirteen." Unable to keep up her front any longer, Max sank into a chair. Her hair fell forward, hiding her expression as she leaned her elbows on the conference table and put her head in her hands.

Alec moved to sit across from her. He shut off his emotions by allowing his Manticore training to take over. "What other information do we have?" he asked, crossing his arms and watching Max.

She kept her head down and spoke from behind her dark curtain of hair. "Seattle Police weren't the attackers, because we first heard about it at four this morning when someone found the bodies and radioed the station. The execution style and lack of any group taking responsibility makes it unlikely that one of the local anti-transgenic gangs did it. Dix has been monitoring the police and coroner's computer network to let us know if they find anything unusual. We have all the news footage on tape, but it's not very helpful, since cops are keeping everyone out of the alley."

Finished relaying information, Max finally looked up and gazed out a window behind Alec's right shoulder. Her last sentence caught his attention, and he questioned, "If the news hasn't shown anything, how do we know the murder details?"

Fixing her eyes on Alec's Max answered him levelly, "I was working on some stuff when the police call came over the radio. I checked it out from the building's roof before backup units and press hounds got there." Unwanted memories of the scene wormed their way in to her thoughts, and she bit her lip. Looking down to idly trace patterns on the scarred wooden table surface, she fought to keep her composure.

For a minute only the soft drumming of rain on the roof broke the silence. Alec wracked his brain for the right words. He knew Max felt responsible, and reached over, stilling her by placing his own over them.

"Max, it's not your fault. You couldn't have prevented it."

She pulled her hands away and crossed her arms over her chest. "I could have left Manticore alone. I'm the one who dumped everyone out of their home." Her voice rose. "I should have started a better system for getting people into TC."

"Max, it's not all about you!" he interrupted her tirade. Irritated, he continued, "Manticore was not a home.' At least a bullet is quicker and less painful than months in Psy-Ops. Let's focus on finding who did this."

"At least you could leave Psy-Ops alive. And I'm not making this about me!" she shouted back, standing and putting her hands on her hips. "I was relaying the information we have so far. I got most of it earlier when–" Max stopped abruptly and shoved the chair, which flipped a couple times as it crashed across the floor. Several heads around headquarters turned to find the source of the noise. Seeing Max standing tensely at the end of the room in close proximity, they shrugged or shook their heads and returned to work.

"Where the hell were you this morning, anyway? I called before going to the scene, but your phone wasn't on." She glared at him. "Probably in bed with some bimbo super model type."

Alec stood and stalked around the end of the table until he stood in front of her. "Yeah, blame it on me," he responded coldly. Then in a mocking tone he added, "None of your business anyway. I had something to do that would have been dreadfully interrupted by a phone call."

"Oh grow up, Alec. Like I care about the details of your sex life," she spat and punched him in the shoulder.

"You're just wishing it was you." He shot back, sidestepping the fist aimed at his stomach. _At least she's got her mind on something else now_. "Ooo, such violence. Gut punching isn't very nice." He moved again and caught her fist as it appeared where he stood only moments before. "Then again, judging from our previous encounters I don't think being sporting is one of your strengths."

Her anger dissipating, she smacked the side of his head lightly before he captured her other hand. "I thought you could take care of yourself in the ring. Plus you seemed to know all the moves."

"I bet you could teach me plenty of moves, Maxie." He grinned impudently at her.

Max rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Alec. That's a pretty bad line, even for you. Did you think I would blush or something?"

"Not really, but you look pretty when you do," he answered, taking a step closer.

Max's cheeks colored slightly, and she realized he still held both her wrists. Ducking her head, she asked shyly, "You think so?"

Her behavior caused a slightly puzzled look to flash across Alec's face. "Yeah."

"Well, then maybe you should admire from a distance."

She pulled her hands free and shoved him, grinning as he took a surprised step backwards. Alec's leg hit the chair she tossed earlier, and not even his enhanced reflexes could compensate enough to keep him from stumbling. He grunted as he sat down hard. Max's dark eyes widened and she burst out laughing. Crossing his arms over his chest, Alec scowled at Max over his knees, legs slightly suspended on the side of the overturned furniture.

"Ow, Max. What was that for?"

She tried unsuccessfully to speak through her giggles. After a few deep breaths she retorted, "Don't you have anything better to do than sit around on your ass all day?"

"Whose fault is it that I now have a large bruise on my posterior?" he grumbled. "Well, multiple bruises probably."

"Oh, grow up and take the it like a man. Your graceful gymnastics couldn't do anything that bad. Well, they were bad, but not in a way that produces serious bodily harm." Max leaned over and reached out her hand to help him up.

"Maybe you ought to check and see. I mean, you seem to have such a fixation with my ass that this makes a perfect excuse." He grinned insolently at her as she pulled his arm. Snorting, Max let go of his hand, and he dropped back to the floor. "Ow! I told you there's a bruise there."

"Shut up, Alec," she responded, watching as he disentangled his legs from the chair and stood, brushing off the seat of his jeans. "You're the one who got yourself into this mess."

The sound of a throat being cleared caused them both to turn and see Mole, who stood a few feet away chewing on a cigar.

"When you're done here, Dix downloaded the police files and coroner's reports from this morning," the lizard-man announced.

Alec watched Max's shoulders sag under the weight of her responsibility. She sighed, "Yeah, let's go see if there's anything new." Walking after Mole, she glanced over her shoulder to make sure Alec followed.

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Desks and electronic equipment filled a corner of the room. Returning to sorting supply paperwork, Mole listened to the conversation. Max and Alec moved to stand on either side of Dix, who sat in front a computer. He asked, "Where do you want to start?"

Brown eyes met hazel over the transhuman's head, and Alec steeled himself to look at the information unemotionally. Max answered, "Might as well go through the crime scene first and then move on to the new stuff."

After Dix clicked through a few photos, Max turned to stare across the room, not needing to see the images already burned in her brain. Looking at the crimson-tinted puddles around the bodies crumpled on the pavement, Alec could understand her reaction. His own fists clenched at his sides as the slideshow continued.

"The morgue's report indicates that government officials took the bodies before the examination was complete." Dix broke the tense silence. "They did get a few pictures, though."

Max returned her gaze to the monitor. Three young, dirty faces showed briefly on the screen, followed by bloodstained barcodes. She gritted her teeth and her knuckles whitened on the hand clamped to the back of Dix's chair. Alec looked quickly at her and reached out to cover her hand with his own before returning his attention to the pictures.

"Wait," Alec commanded when three full-body pictures appeared. He pointed to the screen. "Look for close-up shots of here, here–"

"And here," Max finished, indicating the third figure's shoulder.

Angry red gashes stood in high contrast to the bloodless pallor of skin. Max paled, the thought of someone mutilating the transgenics even after their execution making her feel sick. Her eyes narrowed as a knot of rage formed in the pit of her stomach.

Alec unconsciously tightened his hand over Max's. The trio studied the images, deep cuts on a wrist, on a shoulder, on a hip. Her voice deadly cold, Max finally spoke their thoughts in response to the scarlet serpents.

"White."


	4. On Restriction

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: Yes, it's been a long time since I posted, and it may be awhile before I can again. Spring break's coming up, so I might have time to write then. (Then again, finals and graduation also approach.) Hopefully this isn't too much like other stories out there. I have a plan, but we'll see how long it takes to get there :) Reviews are appreciated; I'd like to know what you think.

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Chapter 4 - On Restriction

The group seated around the conference table looked up expectantly as Max approached them from her office. Word of the morning's murders and the evidence trail to White spread fast around Terminal City, and its residents anticipated action.

"I presume you all know the reason for this meeting," Max began. "Now we have to figure out what to do. Dix, any conclusions from the local authorities?" She took an open seat beside Alec as the transhuman flipped open a manila folder holding the latest information.

"Nope. They ran the symbol through their database, but got no hits. I think they're content to let the government—or whoever claimed to be the feds and took the bodies—figure out the rest of it. Besides, their autopsies only got them as far as the bullet wounds, the barcodes, and the cuts." He pulled some pictures out of the file. Max passed them around the table, not bothering to look again.

"It's a calling card," Alec spoke quietly.

"Huh?" Max gave him a puzzled look.

"The snake. It's White's calling card. He wanted us to know it was him."

"Why?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. Scare tactic, maybe, so we know he's still hunting us. Or so proud he couldn't stand not taking credit." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Max tapped a finger on the table as she thought for a moment. She addressed one of the others, "Trace, any news that the media know what's happening?"

An X-5 shook her head, brown hair almost brushing her shoulders. "Not yet. Someone leaked the photos showing the cuts to the press, though. Most of the stations are speculating it's the symbol of a new anti-transgenic group."

"Great, so now people can gather behind it," Alec commented sarcastically. "Gives the Familiars a good reputation with certain sections of the population."

"Yeah, just like Nazis with the swastika," Mole grunted.

Alec nodded, "And they managed to control a country for a while and start exterminating people. White definitely sees himself as the superior race. If they got civilian support it wouldn't take long to exterminate us before we can organize. Then he could turn on the ordinaries."

Before anyone could speculate further, someone tapped Max on the shoulder. "Excuse me, there's a phone call for you."

"Take a message, I'll get to it later," Max answered, slightly irritated.

"It's Logan, he said he urgently needs to talk to you about confidential information."

Alec snorted and rolled his eyes. "Everything's urgent to him. The guy's gotta learn how to prioritize a little. And his past relationship with Max is hardly confidential."

"Tell him I'll call him later," Max ordered.

The messenger shifted slightly uncomfortably but made no move to leave. "He says it's about White."

"Fine," Max resigned herself to the interruption. "Take a break everyone, we'll meet back here in ten minutes." She gestured an invitation for Alec to join her and called over her shoulder, "I'll take it in my office."

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"Promise you won't give away that I'm letting you listen in," Max requested as she shut the door. Alec shrugged, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. Max dropped into a chair and punched a button on the phone with her finger. "Hey Logan. What's up?"

"Max, how are you?" a voice responded through the speakerphone.

"Well, kinda in the middle of a meeting. What's going on?" she asked.

"Oh. Look, I got some information that may lead to White." Logan paused.

"Yeah, that's what I was told. And?" Max prompted, trying to keep the conversation rolling at a brisk pace.

"One of my contacts told me quite a few unmarked vehicles have been passing through a checkpoint at the south end of Seattle." The disembodied voice began to list hours of travel and the number and make of vehicles. Max only half listened, jotting down the information on a scrap of paper but paying more attention to what Alec signed silently at her. She nodded in response.

"But no actual confirmation that it's White or his groupies?" she interrupted.

"Not yet. I can hack the satellite feed of the area, but I thought you might decide to send out some scouts or something," Logan answered.

Max wrapped up the conversation, ready to start processing the new information. "Great. Thanks. I'll give you a call tomorrow morning, ok?"

"Say hi to Asha for me," Alec piped up from the corner, grinning wickedly. Max slammed the button, ending the call, and glared at Alec.

"You idiot! Like I need a few more issues between Logan and me." She blurred over and blocked the door before he could leave the office. "What were you thinking? How am I supposed to start our conversation in the morning?"  
  
"Aw, com'on, Maxie. You know you wanted to ask the same thing," he appealed. In response she punched his shoulder. 

"Ow, like I need more bruises for the day." He grimaced but continued, "Do you think he'll even notice? I bet he was setting up the satellite hack while he yapped at you. Just tell him I walked in at the end of your conversation to drag you back to the meeting."

"Fine. But you're on restriction from listening to tomorrow's call," she snapped at him.

"Because I'd even want to hear about Logan and Asha's date tonight? I think not." She hit him again. "Hey, you're not allowed to hit the same spot twice in less that half an hour!"

Max narrowed her eyes and tried to suppress the grin that tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Gimmie a break. Let's go, chatterbox. We've got a meeting to finish before it gets any later."

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Tires screeched as a black van careened around the corner. Finding an impossible grip in the cracks between the bricks, fingers flexed and propelled the shadow up the wall.

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The group gathered again around the battered conference table. Max wasted no time in resuming the meeting. "We've got a lead on White. How much have we monitored the South Seattle checkpoint?"

Dix glanced through his notes before responding, "Um, we've noticed a pickup in the movement of unmarked vehicles in the last week or so. Nothing conclusive."

"We got a tip that White's henchmen use that entrance and exit to access the city." Mole grunted, and Max gave him a stern look before continuing, "We need to confirm that this isn't bogus and check it out with own sources. Dix, can you get someone to review the satellite footage and see if we can get any more clues? Also, start scanning for any locations south of here that could be used for a base of operations."

"Hack the government sites to compare our list to theirs," Alec interjected. "White may use an official cover, but at least we'll have some we can rule out."

"Trace, keep monitoring the news to see if anyone else picks up on the snake symbols. No one leaves T.C. at night without express permission from Command." As the words left her mouth, Max cringed internally, remembering the real reason behind their meeting.

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First one hand, then the next gripped the rough cold surface of a metal pipe. Arm, shoulder, and back muscles burned with fatigue as they pulled harder, higher. Feet scraped the wall, trying to push off and quicken the ascent. One more heave, a sharp crack, and the straining ceased. Muscles instantly relaxed.

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Alec saw the morning's memories cloud Max's eyes and picked up before her pause became noticeable. He addressed someone at the opposite end of the table, "Bren, we need a couple more sentries posted around the perimeter. Mole, get a weapons inventory and start organizing materials for an attack mission in case we locate White's base."

Max waited for the lizard-man's nod before continuing, "Alec, you better start going through our contact list to see if anyone has confirmation that White uses this access regularlyor recently. Anything else?" When no one raised other issues, Max concluded the meeting. "Ok, we'll all meet back here tomorrow morning at 07:30 to go over stuff before I call Logan."

Max and Alec stayed seated as all the others gathered their papers and dispersed throughout the building. She tried to smile at him. "Be sure to snag a couple hours sleep tonight."

"Of course. I've gotta give my body time to heal from all the abuse it's taken today," he teased gently. She smacked his arm lightly. "See? There's another half-hour in bed, right there. Now, if you're boxing practice is over, I've got some phone calls to make." She nodded absentmindedly, other thoughts claiming her attention.

He stood and rested a hand briefly on her shoulder before leaving. "Try to snag a couple minutes sleep yourself."

Max stared at the tabletop. Unbidden, the scratches and gouges rearranged themselves to form a design. The snake emblem became distinct when red liquid seeped in and filled the crevices. Max glanced at her hand and saw blood oozing from the identical sign on her body.

A sharp intake of breath, a blink, and the vision evaporated. Max stood and backed away from the table before it could show her more waking nightmares. She walked to the window and wearily leaned her forehead against the cool glass. Rain began to trickle down the outer surface again as she searched the darkness blanketing the city for answers. 

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Headlights swept over piles of debris when the van backed around a corner. The noise of its engine faded into the distance, leaving only the sounds of dripping water in the blackness.


	5. Couldn't See Much

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: Yup, it's been a long time. Hopefully you're still with me. The story will match the summaryeventually. Finals are almost over, although the job search is not, but maybe I'll get the next chapter out a little quicker. Reviews are appreciated; I'd like to know what you think.

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Chapter 5 - Couldn't See Much

Alec paused outside Max's office, not wanting to bring her the news. He considered investigating by himself, but knew it would only postpone the problem and probably make it worse. He made a face when he thought of how her anger would then be directed at her personal punching bag. Still, Alec could have asked Dix to pass on the information. What it came down to, he told himself, was that Max would get hurt and he wanted to be the shoulder she cried on. _Or beats on_, a voice in his head amended. Taking a deep breath, he knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in," Max called. She looked up from a pile of maps spread over her desk and raised her eyebrows. "Alec, I thought you'd be sleeping off your terrible injuries. It must be something horrible to keep you up at four-thirty." Her slight smile faded as her brain caught up to her taunting. "What is it?"

He stood for a moment with his hands shoved in his pockets, calculating the best way to begin.

"Tell me or leave me alone. I've still got stuff to do before our meeting tomorrowtoday." She watched him pull his hands from his pockets and square his shoulders.

"Dix has someone monitoring the police scanner. A call came in five minutes ago that they found a body down near the Alaskan Way Viaduct." His eyes fixed on the top of her head when she bowed it, bracing her arms with her hands flat on top of the papers that littered the desk. He continued, "They also reported a barcode tattooed on the back of its neck." Alec paused, but Max gave no response. "I thought we should go check it out before too many officials or media people get there. Are you up for it?" he asked deliberately.

Max straightened, and he caught a flash of her pain before a steel curtain dropped and covered everything going on behind her eyes. "We better get going then," was her impassive response. She pulled her leather jacket off the back of the chair and shrugged it on as she walked out the door without another word.

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Max and Alec wandered behind the small group of people occupying the entrance to the side street, glancing into the crime scene farther down as they passed. Alec wrapped an arm around her shoulders to give both comfort and the appearance that they just happened to be in the area on a romantic early morning stroll. In response, she slid her arm around his waist. Surprised, but not wanting to draw anyone's attention, Alec raised his eyebrows but said nothing as they kept walking.

Turning right at the end of the block, they stepped into an empty doorway and out of the dim orange light provided by the one barely working street lamp on that part of the block. Seconds later, two more shadows entered the small space from the opposite direction.

"Anything on your end of the street?" Alec asked quietly.

"Nothing to see," Bren answered. "A police SUV is blocking the end of the street, so we couldn't see much. Any luck for you?"

"No," Alec shook his head and turned to the boarded door. "There were people at the police line and we didn't hang around." He began pulling at the rotted wood, and Bren joined him. They made very little noise, but the other two flattened themselves against the walls, each keeping watch down one end of the street.

"So glad you dragged us away from tracking down White to be a demolition crew," Bren commented sarcastically, trying to break some of the tension. He kicked at a hole, increasing the pile of brown chunks by their feet.

"You and Trace were the best qualified people around headquarters and most easily replaced," Alec replied.

Eyes roving the empty street, Trace added under her breath, "Yeah, doesn't take a genius to watch TV all night looking for broadcasts related to our local cult and their extracurricular activities."

"I'm surprised Alec let you keep that job when he could have spent the night in front of the boob tube," Max scoffed.

Alec shrugged and turned from the quickly unblocked door, brushing the wood residue off his hands. "News is no fun to watch. Ready?" At their nods he continued, "Right, Trace, start the action if we signal. We'll meet you back at TC in an hour."

She nodded and glanced both ways before blurring down the street. The other three slipped into the empty building and quickly located the stairway. Rusty hinges made the door stick, and Alec winced at the noise it made when he yanked it free. The three transgenics began climbing in the darkness. 

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Emerging on the roof, Bren moved toward one of the corners as Alec and Max approached the edge. Dreading looking down to the street, Max shivered as moist fingers of cool air slid inside her jacket collar and down the back of her neck. She steeled herself and glanced to the crime scene below.

"Only two police units here now," Alec noted. "We need to move if we're going to retrieve the body."

Soldier personality firmly in place, Max answered decisively, "Let's go." She nodded to Bren, who pulled a small light out of his pocket and clicked it twice at a Dumpster near the entrance of a dark alley. Stowing the light, Bren crept over to meet Max and Alec at the top of a fire escape.

"Three, two, one," Alec counted, and then all the lights on the block went out, causing confused calls from those at ground level who were suddenly plunged into total darkness. 

Gripping the cold wet rungs of the ladder, Max glanced down, her enhanced eyesight allowing her to take in the scene that the flustered officers tried to illuminate with the flashlights from their belts.

Dropping silently to the ground from the first story platform, Max tripped a deputy groping toward the blocked end of the street while Bren and Alec easily lifted the body. At a warning whistle from Alec, Max twisted in mid-air and dropped flat to the ground, avoiding one of the wildly searching beams and nudging another officer enough to make him stumble against the wall and drop his flashlight. Jumping up, she blurred to the other end of the block, ripping down the crime scene tape before leading the team around the corner into the unbroken night. 

Seconds later, the police SUV roared to life, headlights flooding the street and chasing away the blackness. One officer used the wall he fell against to push himself up, turning to find only a wet red stain on the ground marking the exact location of their invaded crime scene. 

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"Good luck with that," Bren nodded toward the sheet-draped body. "Let us know if you need anything else." Max nodded, dismissing Trace and Bren, who started to leave the makeshift morgue.

"Change your shirt before you go back to HQ," Alec called.

"Of course," Bren rolled his eyes without even looking at his dirt and blood smeared clothing. Shrugging to Trace, they turned in opposite directions as they exited the room.

Max glanced over at Alec, a puzzled look on her face. "How come you didn't get dirty?"

He grinned, "'Cause I'm just that much more talented."

She snorted, "Right, like talent is the new dirt repellent."

"You wouldn't know," he said with a superior air. "You have no way to judge that particular skill, since I believe you were the one rolling in the dirt."

Max shoved his shoulder. "It's called ducking to maintain our cover."

"Hmmm, I think you just wanted to do some fancy air flips."

"Whatever. Really, how did Bren end up with the dirty job?" she persisted.

Alec sighed, "He was holding the upper half of the body."

"Oh." Max unhappily returned to the reason for their adventure. During their getaway, Bren grabbed the body under its shoulders while Alec hoisted it by the legs. If they needed to defend themselves, Bren could continue dragging it back to Terminal City while Max and Alec fought. Fortunately, no one had been able to follow them, and they took surface streets instead of sewer tunnels. But, since the bullet hit the transgenic's upper back, Bren got the mess on his shirt. Max absentmindedly brushed off her front, as if she was the one wearing the telltale red stain.

One of the medical staff entered the room with a report, and Alec watched Max instantly seal the cracks beginning to threaten her professional façade.

"Cause of death is obvious, one gunshot wound through the back. Its path through the body indicates the shooter was a good distance below the victim. The bruises and broken bones are probably the result of a pretty long fall after he was killed," the young woman reported.

"But the body was at least half a block from the fire escape, and there were no signs it was moved," Max interjected.

"Right, but this transgenic happens to be, or was, a lot less human than he looks." She motioned Max and Alec over to the body and lifted one of its hands. Small particles of dirt, brick, moss, and mortar stuck to the pads of each finger and the thumb. "We haven't finished the DNA profile yet, but I'd bet on tree frog or spider or something in the mix. He was probably almost to the roof when he got shot. There is also one other injury, but it wasn't caused by the gunshot or the fall." She gently placed the arm back on the table and picked up the other. As she turned it, the hand flopped over lifelessly, revealing similar particles stuck to the fingers and red gashes crisscrossing the palm.

Alec swore at the Familiar symbol. Max spoke quietly, "No big surprise there."

The ringing of Alec's cell phone broke the angry silence. He answered as though nothing was wrong and then handed the phone to Max. "It's Logan."

"Oh crap, I forgot to call him," she muttered before speaking into the phone. "Hey, LoganNo, I'll call you later." She hung up abruptly and tossed the cell back to Alec.

"Any vital information from the great Eyes Only, or just a date recap?" he asked, only slightly sarcastic.

Max looked at him with a serious expression. "He got a location on White."


	6. The Usual Secretary Stuff

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: It almost seems like someone else writes this story and I'm waiting for _them_ to updatebut wait, it's _me_! The first part of this was finished about a week ago, and then stuff came up and the second half gave me some trouble. It's definitely not my favorite chapter, but hopefully it ended up ok.

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Chapter 6 - The Usual Secretary Stuff

Max zipped up her black vest and focused her attention on the similarly attired transgenics gathered in front of the headquarters building. Glancing quickly over their attentive faces, she scanned the street, crossing her arms to keep from fidgeting. She noticed a movement behind the group and locked eyes with Alec as he jogged toward her.

At his sharp affirmative nod she addressed the group, "As you know, we received a report of White's location this morning. Approximately an hour south of here is a former military base. The unmarked vehicles have used a South Seattle checkpoint, and one of our contacts in that area says the base has been active, even after the Pulse."

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Alec circle the group. She sensed him move to a position slightly behind her and to the side as she continued, "We'll sneak out of the city in small groups and meet at the old SeaTac Airport at 18:00."

Dismissing the units, Max looked over her shoulder at Alec. "Ready?"

He grinned, "Always."

Max walked over to her Ninja, which was parked near the building's entrance. Alec followed, and she raised her eyebrows at him after settling herself on the bike.

"That wasn't an invitation?" he asked innocently.

"Shoulda known you planned on bumming a ride," she grumbled, sliding forward on the seat with her lips quirking slightly as he climbed behind her.

"That's just 'cause I know you'd never let me drive. Always gotta have the power."

"Yeah, because I can handle power." Max revved the engine and accelerated down the main street of Terminal City. She smirked silently as Alec instinctively gripped her waist with the sudden forward movement. Hearing him mutter a comment about female drivers, she took the first corner fast and low, grinning even more smugly when his arms tightened. 

--------------------

Max sped down the abandoned runway, avoiding the edges where the concrete was most crumbled. Alec turned his head and watched the ground flash by to keep Max's hair from whipping in his eyes. He smiled when Max gunned the engine, pushing her baby to its highest speeds on the open space before them. Alec hoped there were no ruts or potholes in their immediate path, having a suspicion that Max was driving with her eyes closed, enjoying the moment and trusting her enhanced senses to keep the motorcycle centered and upright.

The engine's roar decreased and Alec felt her sigh as they stopped in front of a hangar. He jumped off the bike and followed her as she wheeled it into the shaded interior. A row of rather nondescript vans and SUVs stood as a silent guard to the right. Wooden crates stacked against the walls broke the large empty space inside the building, some partially covered with musty canvas or old tarps. A few rays of gloomy light filtered through the dirty windows, making paler patches on the floor Max and Alec walked across on their way toward a work lamp illuminating a back corner.

The soldiers stood quietly, waiting for their final briefing. The single light made sharp distinctions in the highlights and shadows on Max's face, matching her crisp tone. Alec listened as she outlined the reconnaissance mission, part of his mind carefully analyzing everything she said, while the other half focused on her. Considering her probable appalled reaction if she ever realized how much she sounded like a commanding officer made him grin internally. Her role at Terminal City allowed her to use the skills that had become instinctual during their unique childhood.

__

Unique is one way to put it. The next thought came close on the heels of his last one. Still, their current situation allowed her to accept herself without feeling forced to suppress or hide her nature. Though, her early escape from Manticore put her in a different position than most of them. He could help fill gaps in the training she'd missed, but he wondered how long it would take the rest of them to adapt enough socially. _All her relationship issues could almost make her pass for normalif her DNA issue didn't cause half of em_.

"So, if we find that it's the right situation to take down White and his cronies, we'll signal the second team and attack. Otherwise, no one knows we were there until we can take it on our terms. Let's get going," Max directed. 

--------------------

The small convoy moved south on the Interstate-5 freeway. In the first car, a black SUV, Alec glanced at Max, who stared out the passenger window at the evergreen trees lining the roadway. 

"Finally trusted my ability to drive, huh?" he remarked, breaking her reverie.

"Well, seeing as there are four lanes and hardly any traffic, I thought it might be safe," she retorted.

"Just let the record show that it's your fault if we end up in a ditch because you won't let us use lights."

"They're called enhanced senses, Alec. It enables you to see in the dark. Besides, you wouldn't have us announcing our presence like that and you know it," she shot back.

"True," he conceded. "We'll see if it worked or not in a minute."

Taking the exit labeled "Fort Lewis," he drove a few blocks from the freeway before pulling off the road and parking. Putting on their comm units, Alec and Max joined eight other transgenics, leaving the rest waiting in the vehicles.

The group split into pairs and spread out around the base's perimeter, preparing to work their way to the main office. Jogging to get a better start, Max and Alec jumped the ten-foot chain link fence and blurred toward the nearest building and out of the security floodlights. Easily avoiding patrolling guards, they approached the central office.

Leaving Max in the shadows, Alec picked the door's lock and slipped inside. He held the door slightly open until Max followed him into the building. Half crouched, Alec followed Max in a curving path down the dark empty hallway, staying just out of range as the security camera completed its turning cycle. Pausing, they flattened themselves against the wall. Max willed herself to focus fully on the movement of the security camera above their heads, even though small corners of her mind wanted to be distracted by the feeling of Alec's shoulder and side pressed against her own as they squeezed into the corner.

Once the camera turned, they continued until they reached the third door on their left. Knowing they had only a few moments before the camera swept this hallway again, Max expertly picked the lock while Alec punched in a bypass code on the electronic keypad.

Only one desk furnished the bare reception room. Max kept watch through the partially open door as Alec began rummaging through the drawers.

"Nothing but the usual secretary stuff," he commented. "Maybe there's more in the main office."

He began picking working on the locked door behind the desk, and Max stepped silently aside as the other eight transgenics slipped inside the room.

"Anything?" she asked, frowning slightly when they shook their heads in a unanimous negative response. "Ok, two of you stay here to guard and everyone else start making your way out. We'll meet back at the vans." She entered the back office where Alec had already seated himself behind the desk and started the computer. For a few minutes, the only sounds were the light tapping of computer keys and sliding and shuffling of carefully opened file drawers.

Finishing her exploration of the available paperwork, Max leaned over Alec's shoulder to look at the computer screen. The slightly blue glow from the monitor eerily lit up their faces staring intently at the information Alec opened by clicking through files.

"Nothing," he whispered, frustrated. "This is all information we already hacked from the government. There are no other hidden or encrypted files."

Max's disappointment was evident in her voice, "Damn, it's only being used by the military. White's got his henchmen gathering somewhere else. Guess this puts us pretty close to being back at square one."


	7. Weather Goddess

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: Wow, two postings in one weekenjoy, since it may never happen again. This is what unemployment—um, vacation—can do for you. :) Love it? Hate it? Think I should have written it differently? Let me know. Thanks to all the marvelous Mafia members (hee, alliteration) who reviewed.

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Chapter 7 - Weather Goddess

Tension radiated off Max in waves. Although neither spoke during the ride back to TC, she was rigid in Alec's light grasp as he sat behind her on the Ninja. Unable to see her face, he wondered if her stiffness was the result of disappointment, anger, distraction in strategic planning, or a combination.

The cool air shifted around them, and sprinkles began to drop from the blanket of clouds covering the sky. Alec broke their silence with a grunt, "Ugh, Max d'you think you could speed it up a little? I'd just as soon not end the night like a drowned rat."

"We can't attract any attention at the checkpoint," she tossed back at him, accelerating only slightly.

"C'mon, Maxie," he coaxed, "No one's gonna fault a motorcycle rider for trying to get out of the rain."

"Suck it up soldier," came her indifferent response. She flipped her damp hair over her shoulder, causing Alec to lean back slightly, making a face.

"But I'm not thirsty," he muttered rather vaguely.

"I meant suck up your discomfort, not the water, you idiot." One hand let go of the bike momentarily for enough range of movement to swiftly elbow him in the ribs.

He hunched his back, trying to avoid her attack without upsetting their balance. "Hey! Keep driving! We've already established that I'd rather not get soaked."

She increased their speed abruptly, wrinkling her nose when Alec's tightening grip brought damp clothing in contact with her skin.

--------------------

Water splashed from the ground as the team ran along the sidewalk. A lone figure dropped from a second story window ledge. Crouching a moment and looking toward the diminishing sound of footsteps, it hurried in the opposite direction, disappearing into the dripping darkness.

--------------------

Max dripped her way into headquarters, the drizzle replaced by a steady rainfall. Alec squelched in behind her with a sullen expression. She spun to face him, water droplets flying off her hair. "Don't look at me like that! I am not a weather goddess, so I can't control the rain."

"That's only because you haven't figured out how to punch or beat that job out of anyone yet," he shot back, lowering the hand he had used to shield his face from the spray.

"Shut up." She hit his shoulder, continuing to speak when he opened his mouth to respond, "A little rain's not going to make you melt." Max peeled off her wet vest and tossed the sodden mass in the direction of her office.

"No, but it's uncomfortable," he pouted, struggling out of his own vest. "And don't bother giving me some BS answer, 'cause your wet clothes have got to be chafing too."

"Chafing?" she snickered. "Stop being such a baby."

"Whatever, I'm going to change." He stalked out of the room. Max rolled her eyes and began to search for her own dry clothes. 

--------------------

In an attempt to lose pursuers, the fleeing figure broke into a blurring run. Vaulting into the air, time seemed suspended for an instant in the falling flight over the concrete steps. Knees bent as joints absorbed and cushioned the jarring impact. Palms briefly touched the ground before pushing off in a press for additional speed.

--------------------

Max studied the map on her desk in hopes of discovering a likely site for White's base of operations. She ran her finger down a printed list of motor traffic Dix had downloaded from a satellite tracking program but found no matches. Pulling a new map to the top of the pile, she propped an elbow on the desk and rested her head in her hand.

The activity of the previous days began to catch up with her as she relaxed slightly in the undemanding silence of her office. While her body did not require much sleep, it needed some, and Max's gaze began to flick more slowly from map to list and glazed slightly. She blinked drowsily and her eyes trailed along one of the red lines designating a main road.

Max realized that the squiggle kept moving, even when her eyes stopped. Frowning and squinting slightly, she watched the crimson ribbon glide into its own pattern. Her eyes widened in recognition as the serpent symbol began glowing on the paper. A sharp intake of breath seemed the only action Max was able to take as she stared transfixed at the laser-like red light. 

--------------------

The stretch of waterfront marking the meeting of Seattle and the waters of Puget Sound was devoid of light and buildings. The runner stopped abruptly, momentarily blinded and motionless when three flashlights clicked on, blocking the path. More lights flicked on behind and followed the figure dashing onto a wooden pier.

"Stop and surrender," a harsh voice commanded. 

--------------------

Max's eyes snapped open and her whole body jerked. Instantly, she focused on the map, telling herself to relax when all the lines remained fixed on the paper. She took a deep shuddering breath and rubbed her eyes, wiping away the few tears that escaped and trying to brush out the memory of her dream.

Unable to review any more maps at the moment, she stretched and wandered out of the office in search of some food. She paused and a small smile crept onto her face when she spotted Alec dozing on a couch. Moving silently, Max retrieved his jacket from the back of a chair and spread it over him, only to encounter a very awake and alert gaze when she glanced back at his face.

"Sorry," she apologized, stepping back.

He sat up shrugging. "Not much you can do about the Manticore genes and training. What's wrong?" he asked, looking at her more closely.

"Nothing," she said to the floor and their black boots.

"Really, what's up?" he persisted, standing in front of her.

Max looked up at him, anger flashing in her eyes. "I said nothing, so it's obviously not anything I want to discuss, ok? Because there's nothing to talk about, anyway."

"Alright." He decided not to push. "Um, wanna go get some breakfast then?"

She hunched a shoulder and relaxed a little before nodding. He walked next to her out of headquarters, unsure if putting an arm around her shoulders would give her comfort or give him a jab in the side for his trouble. Remembering her response moments before, he shoved his hands in his pockets for their stroll to the mess hall.

Minutes later, Max and Alec sat across from each other, surrounded by empty tables in the otherwise unoccupied room. Alec swallowed a mouthful of cereal before taking a bite of cold pizza.

"How can you stand that combination?" Max questioned.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "It's what I felt like. And you can even ask that while eating spaghetti for breakfast?"

"It's still a couple hours before breakfast time," she rationalized. "At least I'm not mixing meals."

"Plenty of people eat pizza for breakfast." His cell phone interrupted the rest of his lecture. "Hellooh, what do you want?" He grinned wickedly. "Yeah, she's _with_ mewhat if she's busy?"

Hearing this half of the conversation, Max snatched the phone from his hand. "Hello?" She waved his protest silent and ignored his pout. "My pager's in my office, gimme a breakYeah, we figured out White wasn't there, LoganYeah, we made it back okLook, I'm kinda busyNo! Nothing like that! We're just grabbing something to eatFine, call my office in twenty minutes." She ended the call and sighed.

"Logan found out about our secret tryst?" Alec asked around a mouthful of pizza, deciding that sulking was less important at the moment.

"There is noI'm not _with_ you" she sputtered, pursing her lips and glaring when he laughed. "He called to say Fort Lewis is military and not cult." She toyed with last strands of spaghetti on her plate. "He's got a new lead or something, so I told him to call the office."

Alec picked up his bowl and gulped the rest of his cereal, amusement still lurking in his hazel eyes. "Well, we better not keep the great Eyes Only waiting," he commented. Pushing back from the table, he stood and extended a hand to Max. 

She looked up and her eyes brightened a little. She took his hand and on their way out remarked lightly, "Who said anything about being a part of this conference call?"

"Uh, Max? A conference call implies more than two people. Otherwise it's just a phone conversation." He dodged her fist, but noticed she still held his hand.

--------------------

Wet wooden planks provided no traction, and momentum carried the runner sliding and crashing into the railing at the end of the pier. Grasping one of the slimy plank rails provided enough stability for the figure to lurch to its feet. It vaulted to the top of the waist-high barrier enclosing the pier, teetering before finding its center of balance.

A loud crack split the air, and a splash sounded almost instantaneously. Flashlights crisscrossed over the edge of the pier, tracing silvery-green reflections in the cold water.


	8. Washed Up

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: This is my longest chapter ever. (I almost broke it into two, but it wouldn't have worked very well.) Let me know how I can make it better. Feedback is much appreciated; it makes me happy. 

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Chapter 8 - Washed Up

The phone was ringing as Max and Alec entered her office. She sat on the edge of her desk and waited until Alec settled himself in a chair before pushing the speakerphone button. "Hey, Logan. What have you got for us?"

"I found another lead on those unmarked vehicles—"

Alec interrupted, "For sure this time? Because as much fun as our little field trip was, we really don't have the resources to take people sightseeing every night."

Logan's voice sounded a little indignant, "I said a _lead_, Alec. You'll have to figure out what it's worth, or you can give me a couple days to follow up."

"Yeah, blame it on someone else," Alec muttered. Max shot him a warning glance and he subsided.

Not hearing the comment, Logan continued, "Everything drives south for a while, but some of the traffic seems to be cutting east once it hits Federal Way. Then it gets out of range for regular satellite coverage."

Max remained silent and stared down at something on her desk. Alec studied her for a second before prompting, "Anything else?"

"Uh, is Max still there?" Logan's disembodied voice asked.

Alec nudged her leg with his foot, and she pulled her eyes up from the maps on her desk to scowl at him. "Yeah, I'm here," she said shortly.

"Oh. Well, that's all the information I could get for now."

"Thanks," Max answered without much feeling.

"No problem. I'll be in contact if I find out anything else. Let me know what you decide to do, or if I can help," Logan said, trying to end their conversation on a friendly note.

"Sure, whatever." Max leaned across the desk and ended the call, her eyes trailing back across the cluttered paperwork as she reached.

"Max?" Alec subtly tried to get her attention.

"Hmm?" she responded automatically without looking up.

"What's up?"

She answered absently, "Nothing."

"You said that once already today," he pressed. "I still don't believe it."

Max finally met his gaze and the shadows of unpleasant memories in her eyes were replaced with an expression of annoyance. "And I already told you there's nothing I want to talk about."

"Max, you can't always stuff everything inside. We're all in this together."

Her voice rose, "Lay off! I—" Abruptly she switched to a commanding officer tone, "Get everyone together with the latest intel. We're meeting at 07:00."

Alec looked at her with a closed expression, but he refrained from saying anything else that she might shoot down.

"What are you waiting for?" she barked. "Go tell everyone we're meeting in half an hour." She winced almost undetectably at the impassive way he stood and walked out of the room, but her attention was quickly pulled back to the papers littering her desk.

Alec glanced over his shoulder as he closed the door and saw Max slump into her chair. His enhanced hearing picked up her heavy sigh as he left to gather the others.

Max tossed aside the lists documenting traffic in the southern part of the state and searched the map for White's most likely route. The crisscrossing lines blurred and tangled before her eyes, causing her to blink a few times to clear her head. She tensed at the memory of her earlier nightmare, but the ink stayed uniform and still. Slouching a little more and resting her head on the back of the chair, Max searched the water-stained and cracking ceiling tiles for answers.

Her thoughts turned wistfully to what it would be like to have a normal life. However, it inevitably led her to her ended relationship with her "normal" boyfriend. _Do I really even want to live normally? Nah, not right now, but I'd settle for not being the leader of a hunted military experiment. Then maybe I wouldn't worry so much about losing the people I care for._ A light knock interrupted her introspection.

"Everyone's on their way," Alec said when she opened the door. His posture was relaxed with his hands in his pockets, but he watched her closely.

"Right, thanks," she broke off awkwardly, remembering how their last conversation ended. Max fidgeted. "Alec, I" she tried to begin something, anything but another fight or a full apology.

"Max, how much have you slept recently?" he asked.

"What?What business of—" She was thrown off momentarily but stopped herself before snapping at him again. Instead, she tried to blow off the question. "I don't need a lot of sleep."

"Maybe not much, but you need some," he stated. "So let's say in the last, oh, four days, how much sleep did you get?" He waited for an answer, but she avoided looking at him. "Ok, after our meeting you're taking a nap," he ordered.

"I'm not a baby," she protested.

He grinned. "Then don't act like one. It's not like I'm telling you that you stink or your taste in clothing sucks or something." He sobered, "Besides, we've all got be on top of it if we're going to catch White."

"I _know_ that," she griped. Pausing guiltily, she conceded, "Fine. After the meeting I'll take a break for a few minutes."

"A nap, Max. Sleep. Eyes closed. No talking."

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever. We've got people waiting."

--------------------

Dix opened the meeting, sharing the same information Logan told Alec and Max earlier. He had also hacked the controls of a rarely used satellite and assigned someone to track the vehicles when they next departed Seattle.

Trace followed with a brief summary of the dying news coverage of the transgenic murders. "Since they didn't have time to fully investigate the body we recovered and the first victims were found a few days ago, most stations have moved on to other news. Really, it's not TV news if there are no grisly pictures or mourning relatives to show."

Bren had no report of unusual activity around TC borders, leaving them with only one solid lead to follow.

"Right, as soon as we have any location possibilities two-person recon teams will investigate to see if they are the real deal. Dix, I'll have phone two if you need to get a hold of me," Max finished the meeting. Walking over to a shelf of equipment, she picked up a cell phone. Turning towards the door, she almost ran into Alec. She tried to sidestep around him.

"Max, I thought you said you were going to rest," he commented.

"I said I'd take a break. I need to clear my head. Now get outta my way." She stepped the other way, but he blocked her. "Alec, stop dancing around in front of me. I'm going for a ride. By myself," she emphasized. "If you follow me, I'll kick your ass." She pushed passed him.

"Sounds like someone's cranky and needs her nap," he mocked her back. "Maybe I'll have to tranquilize you when you get back. It'll save the rest of us an undeserved beating."

"Bite me," she yelled without looking back.

--------------------

The wind on her face and blowing through her hair helped Max release the tension of the last few days. A voice in her head nagged that she was afraid what she might dream, but not sleeping was making her an ultra-bitch. _Fine I'll take a few minutes when I get back._

She shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind and looked out across the water as it came into view beyond the last of the buildings. The rain had cleared, and the sky was now a uniform light gray, broken across the water by the dark, slightly jagged line of evergreen trees at the horizon. Glancing ahead to a fishing pier, she noticed something washed up on the narrow strip of land exposed by the low tide.

After parking her bike, Max climbed down sea wall of large rocks to the wet pebble floor about five feet lower than the road. She realized the object was an unmoving body, half in, half out of the water. Glancing at the hole in the middle of its back and the unrecognized barcode on its neck under long strings of wet and dirty dark hair, she tensed before forcing herself to hook her foot under its shoulder and flip the body over.

Looking at the woman's lifeless face made Max feel as if someone had kicked her in the stomach. She dropped to her knees and gasped for breath, forcing herself to concentrate only on the small wet rocks beneath her. She examined the variety of colors and noticed the way they dug into her knees and shins until her stomach stopped rolling and trying to reject breakfast.

Cautiously, she glanced up at the lifeless face. A trickle of water leaked out past pale lips and cut a thin trail through the sand and small particles stuck to the white skin. Max pushed herself up with an effort and stepped slowly to the other side of the body. Getting a better view of the red slashes breaking the pale smooth skin of the right cheek made her insides flip again and she looked away across the water for a moment.

Max pulled the cell phone from her pocket and shakily pushed the buttons. When Dix answered her voice came out as a dry squeak, so she cleared her throat and tried again, "Yeah, this is Max. Get Alec on the phone." She waited, now transfixed by the crimson snake image that seemed almost alive on the ghostly face. "Alec, I need you to get a car or something and meet me down by the waterfront right nowI'm fine, but there's been another oneNo, no one I knowOk, bye."

Putting the phone back in her pocket, Max bent and grabbed the body under its arms. She straightened and began walking backwards toward the pier. As its legs emerged from the water, she noticed a piece of rope tied to the ankle. The five-foot length flopped in the shallow tracks made by the dragging feet. Leaving the body in the shadows underneath the pier, Max walked back kicking the rocks and scuffing away the trail. She made herself concentrate on that small task, but in the back of her mind she urged Alec to hurry before the reality of the situation hit her again.

--------------------

Alec saw Max's Ninja and parked the SUV just past it. At the shoreline level, Max sat perched on one of the rocks with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees and stared across the water. She willed herself to move, finally standing when she heard two doors slam. With an emotionless mask in place, she turned stiffly to face Alec and Bren as they easily climbed down the rocks.

"I didn't want anyone wandering by to see it, so it's under the pier," she explained.

They quickly examined the pier for any evidence of what had happened, but found nothing useful. When they descended back down to the water level, Alec made out a shape in the shadows under the wooden walkway just past the barnacle-encrusted post. He and Bren quickly retrieved the body, their jaws clenching when they came into the light and saw the serpent carved into her cheek.

"Wait a second," Max ordered. She pulled a knife from her pocket and cut the rope from the dead transgenic's ankle, coiling it as she followed the two men back to their vehicles. When they had secured the body in the back of the SUV, Alec turned to Max.

"Can I catch a ride back?" he asked.

"I don't care," she answered noncommittally, but waited for him to toss the keys to Bren and climb on behind her. They silently followed the SUV toward Terminal City until Alec tried to gauge how Max was doing.

"Are you ok?"

She made no response for a few minutes, but finally questioned, "Do you think they weighted the body? That the rope was tied to a rock or something?"

He thought for a second. "No, the end of the rope had a clean cut. It didn't look like it had been tied and pulled loose or broken."

Neither spoke during the rest of their ride to TC. After assigning Bren to move the body discreetly to their makeshift morgue, Alec followed Max to headquarters and into her office. He made sure the door was closed behind them. She stood silently watching him. Her face was slightly pale, although expressionless.

"Max, really, are you alright?" He made no effort to keep the concern from his voice.

"Alec, I told you" Max began to snap back at him. The words caught in her throat, and the vision of a red snake cut in a white background swam before her eyes. She choked as the dam inside broke, and she could no longer contain her tears.

Alec instantly put is arms around her, trying to comfort her as she sobbed and sagged weakly against him.

"No matter what we do, it keeps happening." Her statement was muffled against his shirt.

He gently placed a hand under her chin and tilted her tearstained face so he could look into her eyes. "Max, we will stop this. We will find White. He's not perfect, no matter what he thinks. Look at this one." At her unspoken question, Alec explained the conclusion he had reached, "White's not the perfect assassin. This transgenic almost made it. Low bullet wound, she was probably diving off the pier to escape. I think they had to dive in and drag her back tofinish the job."

"You really think so?" she whispered.

"Yeah." Relief washed through him at the hope that flickered in her earnest gaze. He gave her a slight squeeze.

A knock on the door made them break apart so Max could hastily wipe her eyes and face. Dix waited on the other side.

"We used the satellite to trail a group of unmarked vehicles leaving the Seattle's southern checkpoint early this morning," he reported. Max unconsciously grabbed Alec's arm, but he barely noticed.

Dix continued, "Like Logan said, they cut east, but they were farther south than Federal Way this time. We followed them into the national park. Seems like someone's got a hidden base up by Mount Rainier."


	9. Protecting Wildlife

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: Well, it's finally up. I kind of hit a block at the beginning, so it took a while to get this chapter out. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! (Special thanks to those of you who have given me regular feedback for most of my chapters. It's very much appreciated.) Your encouragement to keep writing helped me make myself sit down and push through the rough spots.

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Chapter 9 - Protecting Wildlife

Max had spent their time on the rural highway silently looking out at the pastures dotted occasionally with farmhouses, barns, and clumps of trees. Now the only movement she made was to work her jaw in an attempt to unplug her ears from the change in pressure as they wound up the mountain road to higher elevations.

"Gum?" Alec asked. "It helps. You know, like in an airplane."

"Thanks." She accepted a piece and folded the wrapper into a small square before smoothing it out on her knee and folding it again into a different shape. She felt empty. Somewhere inside she knew grief and guilt lurked, accompanied by the loneliness fused with independence that defined her life. There was also the scorching rage toward those who hunted her family, but at the moment it seemed locked away with everything else, leaving her hollow.

Alec glanced at her while he steered the Jeep around a sharp curve. "Good thing transgenics don't get carsick," he commented.

She gave him a slightly puzzled look. "What?"

He shrugged. "A lot of people would probably get queasy on these roads, not to mention some serious puking after staring at their knees for a private origami session."

Max rolled her eyes and barely shook her head. Glancing out across the evergreen landscape again she sighed.

"Max, why don't you grab a few minutes sleep?" Alec suggested. "They're not going to expect anyone to know about their secret base, let alone circle around the north side of the mountain to sneak up on them. And I could wake you up if we run into anything interesting. You know, an elk, or a mountain goat, or something."

"Nah, I'm fine," Max said quietly and went back to playing with the tattered gum wrapper.

Alec sighed. He knew how to irritate Max and push her buttons, but dealing with this new subdued and withdrawn personality made him feel a little unsure of himself. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she lowered the window a couple inches and trailed her fingers in the air moving past the Jeep. The gum wrapper she still held flapped like a tiny flag in the breeze. She released it, turning around to watch it disappear in a glinting silver flash.

"Shame, shame, Maxie," Alec commented. "The fine for littering in a national park is like a thousand bucks."

She snorted. "You gonna report me?"

He relaxed at the slightly mocking tone in her voice. This Max he could handle. "I guess I'll let it slide this time, but we've all got to do our part in protecting wildlife."

"Ok, Ranger Alec. Whatever you say." Max rolled her eyes but was unable to suppress a small smile. "How much further to the campground?"

"White River's a couple miles ahead." He glanced at the dashboard clock. "We'll probably have about four hours until it's really dark and we can drive the rest of the way around the mountain."

A few minutes later they turned off the main road and drove past the ranger station that marked the campground entrance. The remains of the small building's roof were covered with green moss. Its years of disuse showed in the dirt covered windows, and the doorknob seemed to have rusted totally away. Alec drove carefully along what was left of the road and pulled into a grassy space that used to be a parking lot. Closer to the trees, the decaying bones of picnic tables stood as fading memories of a time when people used the area for relaxation and recreation.

Max stepped out of the Jeep and stretched. She leaned against the hood, watching Alec pick his way through the underbrush near a sign that marked a now overgrown trail. Soon he disappeared behind a tree, and she decided to follow. Ferns occasionally brushed her legs as she walked silently. The sound of rushing water filled the silence, and the underbrush thickened, forcing her to push through some bushes before she emerged on the rocky riverbed.

Alec sat on a large rock in the middle of the river and watched the water swirl into white bubbles as it roared past him. Max looked at him thoughtfully for a moment until a mischievous grin appeared on her face. Stepping lightly over a side stream, she hoped that the noise of the river would cover any sound of the rocks crunching beneath her feet. She stooped to grab a large rock and crept to the water's edge. Aiming carefully, Max tossed the stone so it landed with a plop in front of the rock Alec sat on and sprayed him with the icy water.

"Hey!" he yelled. Turning, he saw Max crouched behind a spindly bush. Large gaps between the branches would have revealed her, even if the whole plant had not been shaking from her laughter. Alec leapt smoothly to the rocky island and stalked toward her. Max's eyes widened, and she scrambled away, still giggling.

Alec followed Max in a lighthearted chase up the riverbed. Leaping lightly and sure-footedly from rock to rock, Max reversed their course. Eventually, she found herself standing on the rock Alec had recently occupied in the middle of the river. No other stones were near enough for her to reach, and when she turned Alec blocked her way back to the small island.

He grinned wickedly and picked up a rock. "Time for your shower, Maxie," he commented.

"Aw, c'mon Alec. The water's cold!" she appealed to him.

"I know! No thanks to you! But I don't think you've had any firsthand experience." He weighed the rock in his hands.

"Wait! Um" Max wracked her brain for an appeal. "If you let it go, you'd, uh, be the better person, y'know? You'd win." She smiled beseechingly at him.

He thought for a second. "Always looking out for my wellbeing, huh Max?" He sighed and dropped the rock by his feet. "Ok, come on back."

Max shifted her weight and jumped across the roaring water. As soon as she pushed off the ground, Alec bent down and tossed the rock in a low arc underneath her. A small geyser spouted up from the river as she sailed over it. Instinctively, her hands raised to shield her face from the tiny sparkling droplets. She stumbled slightly when she landed, and Alec stepped forward to catch her before she could take the next steadying step.

He grinned down at her and remarked, "I'd rather win this way."

Slightly flustered, Max pushed against his chest and straightened. His arms dropped from around her, and she covered her confusion by punching his shoulder. "Idiot," she hissed.

He rolled his eyes and trailed after her as she left the riverbed. "What's the matter? Can't handle payback for what you started?"

She flopped down under a cedar tree and stuck out her tongue at him.

He grinned and sat next to her with his back to the tree, his arm barely brushing hers as he settled himself. They sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to the rushing water in the distance.

"Do you think we've got White this time?" Max asked eventually.

Alec shrugged. "Better lead than before, although we never got confirmation that the unmarked vehicles really were his groupies."

"We have to end this," Max said rather desperately. "He can't just keep killing us, especially if he's going to try and raise help through renegade bands of humans. We won't always be able to clean up the mess before the media finds out."

"I know," he cut her off. Taking her hand he continued, "If this isn't the right place then we'll keep looking. White can't hide forever. We've got the skills and the training to take him down."

Max leaned her head against his shoulder. "That's not much good to the ones he already got," she mumbled, willing herself not to cry.

"But it will keep others safe," he countered. "You know the saying, don't let their deaths be in vain, and all that."

Max smiled wryly and wearily closed her eyes. 

--------------------

Max stood on the rock in the middle of the river and watched the water rush past. Her transgenic hearing picked up a dripping noise over the roar. She focused her enhanced senses until the water's noise faded into nothing. Her eyes searched the bank as she tried to find the source of the steady dripping sound. Glancing down, Max saw that the foam at the base of the boulder was tinted pink. 

She stood rooted in place as her eyes followed a glistening colored trail up the rock. Near her feet drops of red spattered steadily into a small puddle that overflowed into the rushing river. Max began gasping for air and looked higher to see the blood running down her hand and collecting momentarily at her fingertips before plunging to the rock below.

The swirling water merged with the rough green shapes of trees lining the shore as her vision blurred. The steady drip still echoing in her ears, Max felt herself swept away in the icy cold darkness of the river.

With a muffled cry Max opened her eyes, and her vision cleared. Her sudden movement startled Alec and he looked away from the deepening forest gloom to see her carefully examine her hand and arm. Relieved to find nothing wrong, Max looked up to see him watching her narrowly. 

She caught the sound of steady dripping and glanced wildly around them. Gradually, she realized that they now sat in a dry circle surrounded by damp ground, sheltered by the cedar boughs above them. At least that explained the incessant noise. Her heart still raced and she took a deep breath while she tried to figure out what to say.

"It got all misty about an hour ago and started to rain a little," Alec said gently.

"Oh, um, ok." Max leaned carefully back against the tree trunk.

"So that's why you haven't been sleeping, huh? Wanna talk about 'em?" he asked.

"YeahI mean noWhat?" she looked at him, confused. The understanding she saw in his eyes helped her relax a little more.

"Nightmares," he said succinctly.

"It's just stress. So much has been going on, you know? It's not really anything," she tried to explain.

"Max, it's ok. I'm not gonna pressure you, 'cause I don't want you to hit me again, but we can talk about it. I may like to push your buttons, but I know where to draw the line," he smiled. "Usually, anyway."

She gave him a small haggard smile in return. "Thanks, but I'd rather not. Besides, I feel better now that I've gotten a couple hours sleep."

"See, I told you," he said triumphantly and then sobered. "Are you sure you're ok to go tonight?"

"Alec, I'm fine." Slightly annoyed, she continued, "We've gotta find White."

He shrugged, "At least now I don't have to worry about you going narcoleptic on me. It should be dark enough to get going. Ready?"

Max nodded and he offered her his hand. She gave it a slight squeeze after standing and kept holding it as they walked though the darkness toward their Jeep.


	10. Automatic Response

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: I finally figured out some of my story issues, so hopefully at least the next chapter will be quicker to write. Then again, it sometimes turns in directions I didn't really expect, so we'll see. As always, feedback is very much appreciated. 

****

Chapter 10 - Automatic Response

The uniform darkness began to change to discernible patches of blue among light gray clouds as the sky lightened. Alec stopped the Jeep and turned off the engine.

"Alec, what're you doing?" Max asked sharply, examining the map spread across her knees. "We've still a few miles before the Paradise loop."

Instead of answering, he got out and sat on the hood of the vehicle. Irritated, Max jumped out and with a few quick strides stood in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing? We need to get set and start scouting for White's base." Max made no effort to hide her annoyance, which increased when she received no acknowledgement. Glaring, she demanded, "Alec, look at me!"

"Turn around," he answered.

"This had better not be some stupid joke," she growled. His eyes remained fixed on something behind her, and she reluctantly spun on her heel. 

Mount Rainier stood silent and massive in the distance. Suddenly, the eastern side of the mountain glowed an iridescent pink as the sun peeked over the horizon. Before long, the glaciers and snowfields flashed with icy fire in the dawning light. White was broken by bare patches of blue-gray rock, and the snow covered peak reflected perfectly in front of them on the glassy surface of a still lake. Max caught her breath at the sight. A wide green band of evergreen trees broken by the multicolored shoreline of the lake separated the radiant summit and its upside-down counterpart.

Both transgenics seemed frozen, taking in the panorama of beauty. Gradually, the rosy light lost its tint in the rising sun, and the scene was rendered in its bold natural colors. Alec turned to look at Max, who was still captivated by the landscape. She felt the chilly morning breeze blow away the heavy pain of regret, guilt, worry, and the numerous other shadows clinging to the corners of her mind. She was filled with the indescribable richness of the scene before her.

Taking a deep breath, she finally turned and locked eyes with Alec. A small smile lit her whole face, and he returned it as he slid off the front of the Jeep.

"Thanks," Max whispered, hugging him.

"No problem," he answered. Reluctantly, he stepped back. "We better get going." The shreds of darkness crept back into their eyes at the reminder, but both felt heartened.

They resumed their mission, driving slowly, as they had the night before, and carefully surveying their surroundings and trying to keep from drawing attention.

"Alec, how did you know about that place?" Max asked thoughtfully.

He shrugged. "I saw a little picture of Reflection Lake in one of the online guides I looked at before we left. I wanted to see if the real place actually existed."

"We should come back after this is over. I bet Joshua would love to paint it," Max commented.

They passed a sign so weathered it was almost illegible, and shortly after Alec turned right off the main road.

"Alec, the sign said the Paradise Visitor Center road is one way. Since the entrance is half a mile ahead, that means you're going the wrong way," Max scolded.

He glanced at her sidelong. "As highly traveled as this road is, if we run into other cars we've got much more to worry about," he retorted sarcastically. He smirked when she scowled but said nothing more. 

After they wound their way a little further, he reversed the Jeep and backed into the woods until they were out of sight from the road. They quickly geared up and tested their comm units with Dix back at Terminal City. Silently and stealthily they began hiking through the forest near the deserted road. 

--------------------

Shifting slightly, Max tried to distance herself from the fern stalk that kept lightly brushing the top of her head. She had been hiding in the undergrowth for almost six hours, and still saw no activity in the small cluster of buildings. Alec had concealed himself on the other side of the clearing, but they agreed to maintain radio silence until that evening or either of them noticed activity.

Max sighed into the leaf mould and surreptitiously tried to stretch her muscles. Although she was trained to wait motionlessly for hours, that did nothing to stop her growing feelings of impatience and boredom. At least the weather had cleared enough so the ground she lay on was fairly dry. Still keeping watch on the scene before her, Max allowed part of her mind to wander a little.

She basked in the memory of the morning sunrise and the breathtaking beauty of the mountain. Her lips quirked at the thought of how ready she had been to fight Alec when he stopped. She tried to decide if she really had been angry or if it was just an automatic response to her surprise at the unplanned break. Alec really had supported her during this mission. Well, before that, too. _And all you've done to return the favor is go through crazy mood swings_. 

Max tried to think of an answer to the reprimanding voice in her head, but was distracted when a man stepped out of a building. She watched him walk briskly to another door, leaving the clearing empty and silent again. She spoke softly, "Alec, I've got activity. A man just exited the north building and entered the one directly south of it."

"Nice to know we haven't been watching a ghost town," answered his voice through her comm unit.

"I'm going to see if I can follow him in," Max told Alec.

His voice held a warning tone when he answered, "Max—"

"I'm not going to start any fights," she retorted testily. "This is an intel gathering mission, so I'm going to go get us some information. Besides, we haven't seen any patrols to worry about."

He still sounded reluctant. "Wait until I circle around so I can see you going in. Keep in contact while you look around. We're leaving in twenty minutes."

"But—" Max began to protest.

"Twenty minutes," he reiterated firmly. "Then we'll meet back at the Jeep and figure out our next move."

"Fine," she muttered. "Hurry up so I can get in there." She waited impatiently but carefully surveyed the area. While no patrolling guards had passed during their surveillance, she knew better than to move in unaware.

Finally, Alec's voice spoke into her ear again; "Ok I've got a good view of the buildings. We'll meet in twenty minutes."

"Got it. I'm going," she answered. In one fluid movement, she crouched and blurred out of the underbrush, gone before anyone could notice the slightly moving plants, even if they had been looking that direction.

Max reached the structure and pulled on the door. "It's locked," she whispered in frustration and reached into her pocket for the right tools. Then she froze, her enhanced hearing picking up approaching footsteps. "Someone's coming. Is anyone on the west side?"

"No, it's clear," Alec replied.

She ducked around the corner, feeling horribly exposed in the center of small cluster of buildings. "Let's really hope there's no patrols," she gritted.

"You're still ok." Alec's voice reassured her only slightly. She wished there was a trashcan, a woodpile, anything she could sneak behind to feel a little more concealed. From his location Alec quietly relayed what was happening out of her sight. "A man just exited and is moving toward the north building. He's opened the doorwalking insideGO!"

Instantly, Max blurred toward the closing door. She grabbed a stick from the ground and shoved it in the small open space, keeping the entrance slightly ajar. She crouched on the ground beside the doorstep and listened intently for any movement inside. The sound of footsteps moved away from her. She heard another door open and close, and then the building was silent.

Ignoring the steps, she crawled up the side and under the railing of the short wooden porch and slowly pulled the door open. She kicked the stick back to the ground as she quietly slipped inside the building. Letting her eyes adjust to the dim hallway, she eased the door shut behind her. She saw no surveillance cameras on the smooth empty hallway and began moving cautiously forward. She had just taken a second tentative step forward when she caught an almost inaudible beep and click.

"Alec," she whispered, "I think I just tripped an alarm."


	11. Go Now

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: This update took forever, because I got a joband then another one. Now those are both over (I freelance at the moment), and I figured I better post before the next one starts this weekend. Hopefully the end of this chapter doesn't fall apart too much, although I'd definitely appreciate any constructive ideas or suggestions if you think it does. As always, thanks for the reviews. They make me happy and encourage me to keep writing.

****

Chapter 11 - Go Now

"An alarm?" Alec's voice asked Max through the comm unit in her ear.

"That's what I said," Max hissed as she spun to face the door. "There was this little beep and a click" She wrenched the door handle, but the cool metal remained stationary as her hand slid around it. "And now I'm locked in." 

She turned back to the short hallway and moved quickly from door to door, searching for an unlocked room as her eyes examined the ceiling for signs of a ventilation system that could aid her escape. She heard Alec draw a sharp breath. "What?"

"There's a guard, even if they don't patrol," he said tensely. "About twenty guys are headed toward your building."

"No, Alec!" Max whispered forcefully. She continued over his confused response, "Don't move. Don't come in. They only know about one of us. I'll find a way out one of the windows." _Where'd that guy go after he came in here? There's got to be at least one occupied room. If I could just get him to open the door and surprise him_

"I'm not going to sit here and do nothing, Max," Alec said.

"And what exactly will your presence do to help? You're going to be late for the twenty minute time limit you set to meet at the Jeep." She reached the last door and growled with frustration upon finding it locked. She slammed her shoulder against it, but bounced off the metal surface with a slight grunt. "How come it can't be as rickety on the inside as it looks outside?" she muttered angrily, preparing to pick the lock.

"Stay by the last door," Alec ordered. "I'll break in the room and open it for you."

"Alec—" she stopped mid-sentence at the sound of another beep and click near the entrance. Pressing her back flat against the door, Max hoped against all odds that the doorframe would hide her enough in the dim hallway to give her the advantage of a surprise attack. "If you give yourself away and get us killed I'm so gonna kill you," she threatened Alec under her breath. 

--------------------

Outside, Alec smashed the window nearest the surrounding forest with his elbow. "Nice logic, Max," he commented as he brushed away the remaining glass shards. Hearing the sounds of fighting through his earpiece, he reached inside to pull himself through the window, only to have his hands stopped short by a wire grate. 

--------------------

Four attackers sprawled unmoving on the floor, the confined space of the hallway working to Max's advantage. She stepped back over a body without looking down, and brought her knee up to connect with the temple of the next man, who stumbled slightly over the obstacle in his path.

Fighting over the growing pile of bodies annoyed Max slightly, and when her back brushed the wall she decided it was time to make herself some more room. Using her hands to push off, she flew forward. Her feet crashed into the next guard's chest and drove him into the man behind him, sending them both to the floor.

__

Twenty guys in this hallway? I'm going to be squished against the ceiling when they're all out cold on the floor. Blocking a punch, she slammed the man against the wall and kicked at the one who replaced him. _Are they all stupid enough to let me beat them to a pulp?_

Through her earpiece, Max thought she heard Alec clipping wires. She heard a puff of air as she threw the next punch, and her eyes widened slightly at the stinging sensation just below her shoulder. She plucked out the dart and continued fighting. 

She spoke quietly and calmly, knowing only Alec would be able to hear her. "Go now. They can't know there were two of us here." She felt the tranquilizer moving through her body, dragging at her muscles, slowing her fighting to the speed of a normal human. The next punch connected with her jaw and sent her stumbling back over the bodies littering the floor.

"Max, hang on. I'm almost there," Alec's voice guided her, although he sounded far away.

Max spit out some blood and commanded her thoughts and body to focus as she scrambled backwards over the pile of unconscious guards. The muscle fatigue she had ignored during the fight began to fade. Gritting her teeth in an attempt to clear her blurring vision, Max forced out another command, "They can't have us both. We'll win."

Leaning against the wall, she kicked feebly at the man stepping towards her. She pulled the comm unit off, turning her head toward a spark of light in his hand. She fought to stay upright against the hazy red curtain fogging her vision and the invisible weights attaching themselves to her limbs.

The spark flashed again, and realization hit her an instant before the paralyzing shock in her side. Her hand clenched reflexively, crushing the comm unit as she crashed into blackness. 

--------------------

Alec heard a small snap and suddenly lost all sounds of the fight. He threw the section of grating aside and vaulted into the room, carefully avoiding the sharp wire teeth surrounding the hole he created. He wrenched open the door and stepped into the hallway.

If the few smears of blood on the otherwise blank and pale walls and floor had not been there to identify it, Alec might have thought he was in the wrong building. A sliver of light at the far end shrunk as the door closed the empty hallway into dimness. Alec started toward it, but halted instantly when he heard a soft beep and click. He swore silently while slipping through the still open door and diving out the window he had just entered.

Rolling as he landed in the dirt and bounding upright, Alec blurred to the forest. He sped through the trees around the perimeter of the clearing, searching for signs of Max as guards again converged on the building.

"Alec." The voice in his ear made his brain remember that Terminal City had been monitoring their communication link. "What's going on?" Dix's voice asked.

"They've got Max. Keep the satellite on this area and tell me exactly what's going on," Alec ordered. Reaching the point where he started, Alec paused to listen to the guards now exiting the building. He hoped they had decided not to do a room by room search and the widow he destroyed would stay unnoticed until later.

"Must've been part of the first alarm," one commented as he shut the door.

"Alec, there's a convoy leaving from Cougar Rock. It's a campground a little ways down from the Paradise Visitor Center where you are," Dix's voice informed him.

"Keep following them," Alec commanded, only slightly relieved that he still remained undiscovered. He blurred toward the hidden Jeep and continued issuing orders. "Get Bren and a unit ready to head them off."

"Mole's equipping them right now," the transgenic answered.

Alec listened to the updates while he jumped in the Jeep and sped down the mountain. He maneuvered carefully down the winding road, but did not lessen his speed. When he reached the lower foothills, commotion in headquarters filtered through his earpiece.

Mole's rough voice sounded almost reluctant as he addressed Alec, "The convoy hit main roads coming off Mount Rainier and split. Dix can only follow one vehicle on satellite, but he's looking for more he can hack to track them. I dunno if he'll be able to get control of nine others fast enough."

Slowing the Jeep slightly so he could concentrate on what Mole was telling him, Alec glanced out the passenger window at the silent snow-covered watcher he was leaving. He felt his chest tighten, making breathing difficult. _What's wrong? I can handle this situation. _His knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel. _Because it's Max. That's why. You know what White does_.

Shadows chased each other in his eyes momentarily before they hardened._ Emotions have no part in getting the job done._ A blank mask dropped over his face as his breathing evened and his clenching fists relaxed.

Alec issued his next instructions over the comm link in a deadly calm and even tone. "Find somewhere I can meet the team. Put everyone who's not working on supply acquisition digging for any info on White, looking for ways to tail him, and monitoring sector checkpoints. He's not sliding out of this one."


	12. More Conversations

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: I was in a wedding, got two real (non-freelance) jobs, and moved to a new apartment, so those are my excuses for not updating in, oh, forever. If you've forgotten what this story is even about, the chapters aren't that long to reread. :) Actually, I wasn't going to write until I moved out of my temporary place, because right now my computer's on the floor, which means most of my typing is done lying on my stomach on my bed. I decided not to wait until September, though. All of that to say thanks if you're still reading the story, and I hope you survived the wait. (Hopefully this is worth it, too. If not, reread the first sentence for my excuses.)

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Chapter 12 - More Conversations

Alec drove the Jeep automatically as he tried to think of anyone who might have information on White. He vaguely heard the commotion at Terminal City headquarters through his communication unit, but nothing was important enough to catch his attention. Frustrated, he slammed his palm against the steering wheel. They had already run through his extensive list of contacts trying to prevent the other transgenic murders.

__

Max may be one of those by now. No! They would have left her body like the others. Although sometimes death looks like the best way out. But they haven't had long enough, and she knows we won't abandon her. The argument continued circling in his head until he remembered what Max said at the end of the fight. Her determination not to let both of them get discovered and the declaration that the transgenics would win echoed in his mind, drowning out all his other thoughts until he only heard her voice.

Alec closed his eyes momentarily, even against the soldier part that reprimanded him about paying attention for any traces of the enemy as he drove. Forcing himself to concentrate on the rescue mission rather than the captive, he barked into his comm unit, "Dix, where are the vehicles?"

He heard people continuing to work in the background as Dix's voice answered, "We're following four with teams moving to intercept them. We have three satellites sweeping the area for the other targets, and have three more hacked to take over as soon as we find the vehicles."

"We don't have them right now?" Alec interjected.

"No," tension was evident in Dix's voice. "We've got the satellites following all the roads from where they split, and we found three, plus the first one."

Alec felt his stomach sink as his military training processed what Dix said. "Stop looking," he ordered.

"What?" Mole's voice bellowed in the background.

"Stop sweeping for the other six," Alec repeated. "They know someone's probably looking for them and must have a backup plan so that we won't find them. Use those satellites to follow any leads we have on White's possible hideouts. What's the status of the intercept teams?"

"First one is twenty minutes out and the last should reach vehicle four in an hour or less," Mole told him.

Alec's stomach dropped even more, and he spoke through gritted teeth, "Let's hope Max is in one of those." _A lot can happen in twenty minutesplus the time they've already had her_. He refused to let himself imagine the nightmare she could be going through. "Where am I meeting the team?" He heard some papers being shuffled.

"There's a church a little off the road about five miles after Eatonville," Dix's voice informed him. "ETA for Bren and the team is half an hour." 

--------------------

Max fell through blackness as she tried to focus her thoughts. Her eyelids seemed to be made of lead, and she concentrated on opening them while a corner of her mind realized the free-fall now felt more like a slide. Her side slammed into a hard metal wall, instantly pulling her scattered thoughts into place and making her eyes pop open. The complete blackness in spite of her enhanced vision momentarily disoriented her again. She attempted to wipe her eyes, but her arm was stopped short after moving two inches.

The vehicle traveled over a small bump, and Max's body jarred against the floor, her head banging painfully. She winced and flexed her muscles, only to find her movements limited, since her other arm and both feet were similarly secured. Biting her lip in concentration, Max twisted her wrists in their restraints as she tried to find out how they were locked and attached to the walls.

Her fingers came in contact only with smooth metal, and she began groping the small area of floor she could reach for any loose objects that might help her. The vehicle drove over another bump in the road, and the momentum jerked her body against the restraints. Max tucked her chin against her chest, but her head still smacked the floor when she landed, throwing her again into the free-floating darkness of unconsciousness. 

--------------------

"There's still a chance she could be in one of the last two vehicles," Alec spoke grimly into the comm unit. "Call my cell phone as soon as the units intercept them. I'm at the meeting point." He pulled off the earpiece and tossed it on the passenger seat.

Paint flaked off weathered gray boards, and grassy weeds clustered against the sides of the deteriorating building. Alec completed his circuit of the old church, now satisfied that it was secluded and seemed abandoned.

The door opened surprisingly easily on well-oiled hinges. Alec glanced cautiously around the small sanctuary filled with a few rows of wooden pews. He walked quietly toward the front, noting that the patchy sunlight shone in through recently washed windows to light an equally clean interior.

The only decoration was a simple wooden cross hanging behind the pulpit. Alec settled in the first pew with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, looking bemusedly at the symbol of faith. He thought about what Manticore had taught them about world religions and what Max had told him about Ben and their childhood fascination with the Blue Lady. _Lot of good it did him. She doesn't seem to be helping Max much either._

He rose and began pacing across the front of the church. Running a hand through his hair in frustration, he spun when he heard the click of a latch. A door at the front corner opened, and a weathered man stepped through it. Standing to appear at ease but ready to fight in an instant, Alec took in the man's gray and white hair and his steady walk. The stranger nodded in greeting as his bright blue eyes looked directly into Alec's.

"Owen Shaw." The man introduced himself before taking a seat.

Alec paused. His training told him to stay on his guard, but he felt awkward standing. Eventually, he sat across the aisle in the second row and spoke to the man who turned partially to face him. "Alec."

"Well, Alec, it doesn't look like you were expecting anyone to be here," Owen commented.

"No, I wasn't." Alec offered no further explanation.

"Not many people come here anymore, but I try to keep the place clean for those that do." Owen spoke easily. "It may not be much, but it's quiet and peaceful. I bet most people, especially transgenics, could do with some peace."

Alec analyzed the man, trying to decide if the statement was offhand or directed at him, but he kept his emotions from showing on his face. "Funny thing for a preacher to say," he commented.

"You don't think people need peace?" Owen asked, his forehead wrinkling as his bushy eyebrows raised.

Alec knew Owen had deliberately misinterpreted his observation and scowled. _He wants to hear how I feel about his religion? Fine_. "Most religious leaders view transgenics as an abomination, rather than worrying about their wellbeing," he said shortly, making an effort to keep his voice even instead of sharp and bitter.

Owen shrugged, but kept his piercing blue eyes trained on Alec's face. "TV news always goes for the extreme ones. Just because you're genetically engineered doesn't mean you're any different from the rest of us terms of humanity and morality."

Alec stared at him entirely nonplussed.

Owen smiled slightly as he continued, "You may try to mask it, but you can't shut down entirely. It would be a pity if you did, because you'd lose what makes you human."

Trying to argue logically in spite of his shock, Alec countered the man's statement. "Not all transgenics are human."

Owen dismissed the argument with a wave of his work-hardened hand. "I'm not talking about how you look or what bits of DNA may have been patchworked together. Humanity in terms of your soul, or feelings and emotions if you'd rather."

Alec stared for a minute and then his eyes hardened. "So it's ok to play God as long as you take into consideration your creation's spiritual condition?" he demanded without making an effort to keep the anger out of his voice.

"I can't think of one person who asked to be created, but the relationship with a creator is a question that could take a lifetime to answer." Owen's blue eyes twinkled mischievously. "Besides, whoever you're meeting ought to be here soon."

Not wanting to appear speechless twice in the same conversation, Alec asked the first question that popped into his head. "How'd you know?"

"People your age don't usually hang out in here." Seeing Alec's at giving away information, Owen assured him, "Actually, I saw you make your round outside and figured you might as well get a look in here before I introduced myself. What I said about peace and quiet is true. It will be a safe place for whatever you need to say." 

He rose and looked into Alec's eyes again. "Remember what I said about shutting yourself inside." Owen extended his hand. "If you need more moral or philosophical conversations, or if there's anything else I can do for you."

Alec regarded him before accepting a firm handshake. "Thanks." The transgenic watched the man exit, a calm steady presence almost forming an aura around the minister. Alec shook his head ruefully as he stood and paced slowly around the room. _Just what I need, moral questions complicating things even more. Still, what he said_His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. _Max. The mission now is helping her_.

"Go ahead Dix."

"The last two teams have intercepted the vehicles. Max wasn't in any of them," Dix informed him regretfully.

Alec shut his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Keep everyone looking and update me every two hours or when we find any new information. How long until Bren gets here?"

"He's four miles away, so the team ought to get there in five or ten minutes," Dix answered.

"Alright." Alec ended the call and flopped heavily onto a wooden pew. Worry, anger, and frustration all competed to replace small measure of peace he had just experienced. _Max, damn it, where are you?_

--------------------

The back of her head throbbed as Max opened her eyes groggily. She recognized the feeling of restraints around her wrists and ankles as she looked at the white tiled ceiling. Sighing imperceptibly and mentally composing herself, she turned her head to face the person standing next to her.

"Glad to see you're awake, 452," Ames White greeted her with a smirk. "I've got a few questions for you."


	13. Betray the Emotions

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: After moving to my new place (woohoo), I got stuck for a while toward the end, but I finally had the time to work through it. (Gotta love the DMV for the insanity-inducing three hour wait for my new license.) Special thanks to Jewel, Panda, Ting, MirellaM, and Jenzabell for your reviews and encouragement! The feedback was definitely one of the big motivations for me to finally get this next part up.

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Chapter 13 - Betray the Emotions

Max glared at the man standing beside her. She flexed slightly, testing the restraints on her wrists and ankles. As she suspected, the straps were securely fastened.

White noticed her small movements and sneered at her. He moved closer to make her look almost directly up at him. "Did you think we're stupid enough to let you move, 452?"

A thousand sarcastic retorts shot through Max's mind, but she held her tongue. Instead, she blinked impassively, knowing her silence would irritate him more.

"Seems your perfect DNA and fine-tuned street smarts weren't much good to you this time," White taunted.

__

Well, it's a little difficult with twenty goons trying to dog-pile you in a small hallway. You seem to be overcompensating for something_ if it's not my skills or genetics you're worried about_. She remained motionless and stared at him.

White's eyes narrowed. This silent aloof transgenic was different from the sassy one he was used to annoying him. She hadn't even insisted on her identity as Max, rather than the designation he used to address her. His temper, never long-suffering, began to rise. "Really, transgenics aren't that difficult to catch. It's kind of fun to pick you off one at a time," he purposely baited her.

Max felt like she'd been gut-punched at the reminder of the brutal murders. However, she kept her face a blank mask without even a flicker in her eyes to betray the emotions that raged behind the wall she constructed.

When he raised his arm Max anticipated the blow and turned her head slightly with it to lessen the force. Ignoring her stinging cheek, she stared back at him and merely raised her eyebrows indifferently.

Further aggravated by her response, White leaned imposingly over her, placing a hand on either side of her head. "You may think that silent treatment will get under my skin, 452, but I'm sure there must have been _something_ in your training about ways we can make you talk," he hissed before stalking away.

Hearing the door close, Max sighed and closed her eyes. _Silent treatment _is _getting under your skin_. The small satisfaction she got from that thought did nothing to ease the depression lurking in the corners of her mind. She started forming escape scenarios in her head, ignoring the dark voice hinting that she might not be able to execute them. 

--------------------

No jokes lightened the atmosphere as the eleven transgenics regarded each other with similar serious expressions. "Did we get anything useful from the crews on the vans we intercepted?" Alec asked Bren.

"Not initially. Each van had a different destination where they would receive their next orders, and none knew where the others were assigned."

Alec frowned, but said nothing, waiting for Bren to continue.

"We replaced their people with our teams, and each will report in right before they reach their destinations." Bren ran a hand through his dark curly hair and grimaced. "Now it's a waiting game again."

Alec nodded. He had approved Mole's preliminary plan to substitute White's men with their own units when they caught the vehicles. "Call Mole and organize backup for each of our squads. We may have to wait, but we're not going to sit around here doing nothing. I'll check with Dix for someplace central to the van destinations." 

--------------------

The needle pierced the skin of her arm, and the liquid caused a slight burning sensation as it entered her vein. _I wonder what toxin he decided to try first_. Max engaged White in a silent staring contest as they both waited for the drug to take effect. _C'mon little enhanced cells. Do me proud and metabolize that junk. Hmm, they say talking to yourself isn't a good sign. I wonder how the shrinks would diagnose it if the only other person to chat with happens to be your mortal enemy_.

Max realized that her muscles were gradually relaxing and her breathing slowed. She guessed what kind of drug he had injected, and his next words confirmed her suspicion.

"Now that a little Sodium Pentothal has you relaxed, let's try again to have a conversation." White sat across from where Max had been shifted to a sitting position.

Max easily pulled her thoughts in order and rolled her eyes mentally. _Is he kidding? Shooting me full of so-called "truth serum" can't make me talk. Even Norms can resist this stuff. If he estimates the transgenic dosage wrong, all he'll get is me unconscious. Too bad for him_.

"So, 452, how many of you scum are hiding out in that toxic waste dump?" White probed. "Or have you moved your excuse for an army somewhere else?" He paused. "I suppose your good friend Eyes Only is back to saving the world. Did you ditch the trannies and shack up with him, trying to pass for something other than the mutant you are?"

Max longed to be free so she could pound the smirk off his face. Her natural tendency to make sarcastic comments combined with the drug's effect of reducing inhibitions made it difficult for her to maintain her stone-faced silence. She concentrated on counting her heartbeats to distract herself and keep her emotions under control. 

--------------------

Alec pushed open the heavy dark wooden door and his senses immediately alerted him to the tense atmosphere inside the church. His eyes darted around the sanctuary's perimeter before resting on the group of transgenics. Alec was momentarily surprised that anyone could seem so relaxed in the midst of ten soldiers who looked ominously ready to attack.

Owen leaned casually against the back of the wooden pew with his hands folded and resting on the tattered denim coving his knees. His expression was entirely unperturbed, and Alec thought he saw a slight flash of amusement in his bright blue eyes. The older man nodded once, "Alec."

Although none of them relaxed their guard, the transgenics glanced furtively in Alec's direction to gauge his reaction when the stranger used his name. Alec raised his eyebrows at Bren.

"He entered the front of the church right after you left to call Dix," he began formally and stopped, unsure of the situation.

"Owen works here, and I wouldn't have started the meeting if the location wasn't secure," Alec stated.

"What he means," Owen observed dryly, "Is that even if I was going to tell your secrets, any one of you could take me out before I became a threat." His comment broke the tension and the others relaxed slightly.

"Coulda at least warned us that religion isn't exactly dead here," Bren muttered.

Alec ignored the comment, but deepening wrinkles at the corners of Owen's eyes and a quirk of his lips conveyed his amusement.

"We're moving west," Alec informed them. He paused, considering whether or not to give the details of their next step in Owen's presence. The older man raised white eyebrows and gave him a slight smile. Deciding that the information would hardly be of any use to ambush them or track their movements, Alec continued, "We'll wait in Spanaway. It's near an old air force base and more or less central to the targets our other teams are hitting."

As one, the ten transgenics moved toward the door.

"Yup, it's definitely time to stop being church mice," Bren said under his breath.

Alec cleared his throat, and they exited without further comment. He stepped toward the door before turning back. Owen had stood and leaned one hip against the seatback of the last row. For a moment, blue and hazel eyes silently regarded each other.

Owen spoke thoughtfully, "At the risk of sounding like the sage old prophet, trust your friends, Alec."

"Sure," he agreed.

"I mean trust them enough to deal with your feelings. Don't lock yourself away," Owen advised, gazing straight into Alec's eyes.

Alec swallowed and glanced away.

"I hope you find your other friend soon."

"How did you" Alec tried to think how the man would have known. Then again, it had probably been fairly easy to guess. He had seen the group's obvious bond and knew at least some of the publicized challenges facing transgenics. Alec's face hardened. "Thanks for letting us use your church."

Owen sighed and barely shook his head.

Outside, Alec climbed inside the Jeep and slammed the door. Bren pulled up next to him and rolled down his window. He opened his mouth, but his tone and whatever he had planned to say immediately changed when he caught sight of the emotionless expression Alec wore. "If we lose you on the road we'll meet you near Interstate 5 and Highway 512 in Spanaway."

Alec stared straight ahead, but nodded in acknowledgement before slamming the Jeep in gear. The tires threw gravel in the air as they spun a quarter rotation until getting enough traction to accelerate the vehicle down the hill and through a sharp turn onto the intersecting road.


	14. Legitimate Military Operations

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: With one thing and another it's been, oh, forever since I updated. (I would blame the two long weeks I spent temping in the marketing office, but that was at the beginning of October. I've just been working or lazy.) It's kind of short and there's a small reference to one of the first chapters, but you shouldn't have to reread unless you really want to. (For instance, if you think it's way too short then you can go back and read more). Thanks for hanging in there! Those of you who take the time to review and encourage me to keep going are very much appreciated.

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Chapter 14 — Legitimate Military Operations

"Bren!"

His concentration disrupted, the shot went wide. Instead of rolling into the small dark tunnel, the bright red ball clunked against the wooden panel blocking most of opening and bounced back on the faded green Astroturf. He faced Trace with a scowl.

"What? Oh, sorry," she said unrepentantly when the ball rolled to a stop against her foot. After a slight pause she continued, "The idea is that if the windmill actually moved it would make it harder by periodically blocking your shot, right?"

Confusion replaced Bren's frown. "Yeah, so?"

"Well, isn't this tiny hole harder?"

He gave her a half shrug. "Most norms probably couldn't get it through. Kind of defeats the purpose of a fun game if it's impossible to anyone but a pro, and it wouldn't make a very good date."

"Golfing doesn't seem like a very fun date anyway. Boring really," she retorted with her own shrug.

"Miniature golf," he corrected her. "That's what the castles and windmills are for—to make it fun. Besides, the golf isn't the point. It's a good chance to" he sighed. "Never mind."

Trace raised her eyebrows and asked innocently, "It's a good chance to what?"

"Uh, was there a reason you interrupted my game?" Bren avoided her question.

"Oh, yeah. Nisa's team is going in at McChord Airforce Base. We're all meeting by the igloo hole for her report." Trace kicked and sent the small red ball skittering up the ramp and into the black tunnel without touching the windmill's edge or frozen arm. Bren rolled his eyes.

"If we're ever on a date it better be someplace more exciting than Parkland Putters," she called over her shoulder.

Bren followed her down the cement steps while thoughtfully swinging the golf club from hand to hand. 

--------------------

Max flexed her muscles for the hundredth time against the restraints that bound her. White had slapped her around for a while and then stalked out of the room. The Sodium Pentothal had done nothing to alter her silence, although Max supposed that White expected her to resist it. Maybe he thought it would loosen her up for whatever else he had planned, or maybe he just wanted an excuse to vent his aggression.

The sedative eventually wore off, and combinations of the various techniques White could use to try and make her talk crowded her mind. Her wrists chafed against the thick leather as she pulled restlessly. Max forced herself to banish thoughts of torture to the dark corners of her imagination and concentrate on ways to escape. 

--------------------

"Well, Logan was half right," Bren commented as he maneuvered the SUV past the dilapidated entry gate.

Trace glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of a few Fort Lewis military buildings across the freeway among the evergreen trees.

Bren continued under his breath, "Then again, Logan's half a lotta things."

Rolling her eyes as she turned back to scan the shabby structures in front of them. "It figures White would hide his occult outpost within spitting distance of legitimate military operations."

They parked near the other vehicles and followed Alec toward a long low building that used to serve as a mess hall. A woman with Indian features waited for them outside doors covered with a patchwork of rust spots.

"Nisa," Alec greeted her. "Any problems?"

She smiled without humor as she led the group inside. "No more than our search and rescue mission in Kolkata. Although I didn't have to worry about blending in with the locals like you did that time."

Alec shrugged. "I spoke Bengali and Hindu perfectly."

"True," Nisa acknowledged. "You didn't have any trouble until that guy thought you were stealing his girlfriend and accidentally pulled off your fake beard." She gestured to one of the tables. "One of White's guys got killed when we came in, but we've got two others tied up and guarded in the kitchen. I'll go get the leader."

Leaning back in a chair, Bren said thoughtfully, "We should have told Nisa to check for any leftover MREs in there."

"Like a permanent base would keep their kitchen stocked with that stuff. Maybe off in an abandoned pack somewhere," Trace snorted.

Bren pouted. "Hey, I'm hungry enough to eat a prepackaged meal ready to eat.' It's all about calorie intake."

"Shut up, Bren. You're rambling," Trace warned.

"I'm just sayin'. It's fine if you try to fit in with the norm girls by counting your calories, but IOuch!" He broke off abruptly and reached under the table to rub his smarting shin.

Trace looked at him and then glanced meaningfully to where Alec sat at the head of the table. At one time people might have looked at the surrounding buildings or trees while they ate, but any view through the panes was now obstructed by the film of dirt that build gradually over the years. Alec's hands rested folded on the scratched and dented surface, while his hazel eyes stared blankly at the windows across the mess hall.

Bren muttered, "Right. Sorry, I didn't mean to play footsies with you, and after thinking about it, I'm not really hungry eitherOw! Ok fine. I'll just sit here and enjoy this relaxing silence."

The kitchen door screeched on its hinges and slammed with a clang after Nisa walked through, pushing a man in front of her. Trace and Bren watched a muscle in Alec's jaw tighten as his attention was drawn back to his surroundings. He stood and turned deliberately, folding his arms across his chest and silently inspecting the approaching man.

The captive stopped in front of Alec and glared at him. Suddenly, he flew backwards and crashed into a table. He slid to the floor in an awkward heap and stayed there, having no way to catch himself with his hands tied behind his back. A trickle of blood ran from his nose across his cheek and began to form a crimson puddle on the concrete floor.

Trace and Bren watched silently with the other transgenics at the table as Alec stepped forward to stand inches from the man's face. His eyes glittered dangerously, and his stance seemed almost stiff with the anger he barely held in check. 

When he finally spoke, Alec's voice was low, but the demand dropped clearly in the room's silence.

"Where is she?"

--------------------

A few hours and many rejected escape plans later Max stared up at the white tiled ceiling. _Maybe White's next move is to bore me to death_.She had an itch in the middle of her back, and she wriggled to relieve it, eventually turning her head to glare at the straps restricting her movement. Her eyes narrowed as an idea flickered in their brown depths. _Not exactly the most surefire plan, but it could be worth a shot_. She sighed and pulled again at her restraints, turning back to stare at the white squares above her.


	15. Do the Puyallup

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: This isn't necessarily a very happy chapter for just before the holidays, but I figured any update was better than none for another six weeks :) I finally had time to sit down and write for a while. Thanks for the reviews!

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Chapter 15 – Do the Puyallup

"This is the last time I'm asking. Where is X5-452?" Alec's tone was deadly calm, and his face remained a blank mask.

Red circles spattered the floor like liquid confetti, smeared slightly on the concrete where scuffling feet had disturbed the random patterns. The man sat hunched on the floor against a table leg and glared up at Alec through the one eye not quite swollen shut. Ignoring the other transgenics circling him, he took a deep, wet sounding breath through his broken nose as if preparing to speak. His jaw worked and he spit, more blood than saliva, aiming for Alec's nose.

Reflexively, Alec stepped aside. Just as quickly he reached down and placed his hands on either side of the man's battered face. With a quick twist and snap, the body crumpled, hitting the cement with a muffled thud.

"Is the other prisoner also a Familiar?" Alec asked Nisa.

She, like the other transgenics in the room, stared straight ahead, avoiding Alec's blank hazel eyes. "No. I'll bring him in, sir."

The half-circle of transgenics parted slightly when the stumbling footsteps approached. Nisa pushed the man toward the table and stepped forward to fill the gap left for her. The soldier turned his back to the table and stood at attention facing his captors, trying to look capable of defending himself, even with his hands tied behind his back. His pale blue eyes darted to the motionless figure crumpled on the floor and he swallowed convulsively.

Alec fixed him with an icy glare. "Where is your next meeting point?"

"I, ah" the man began in a strangled voice. He cleared his throat but still sounded hoarse. "I don't know."

Almost too quickly to be seen, Alec kicked the back of his knee, causing both to buckle and sending him crashing to the floor. The prisoner writhed for a moment in agony. Realizing he had landed on top of his dead commander, he wriggled frantically until he rolled off. He panted, a few quick breaths, and his eyes widened as he focused on the boot a few inches in front of his nose.

"Where?" Alec tapped his foot once.

"I don't know," the man rasped. His eyes squeezed shut as the boot toe before him raised again. He continued in a breathless rush. " We were attacked before the commander gave our next orders. I heard something about C-camp Harmony." He waited, eyes still closed and every muscle tense.

Alec turned and strode toward the door.

"Sir?" Bren's voice broke the silence.

Alec paused. "Leave him. If he can get himself up he can walk to Fort Lewis."

The transgenics followed him silently out the door. The soldier on the floor cautiously opened one eye. Finding himself alone, he gulped much needed air. His eyes closed again, this time in relief. 

--------------------

__

One hand. Just one hand. Max flexed her arms again, muscles aching with the effort. She grimaced at the pain in her wrists, rubbed raw and bruised from the friction against her bonds. Pulling, she tested as the sweat-dampened leather chafed the sides of her hands. _Stretch, just a little, please_

--------------------

"P-U-Y-A-L-L-U-P," Trace spelled. Alec relayed the word into his cell phone, listening as Dix gave him directions.

Bren twisted sideways in the passenger seat and looked back at Trace, eyebrows raised. "Poo-ya-lup?"

Trace rolled her eyes and broke the word into phonetic syllables. "Pyu-al-up. Like church pew with al' and then up' added at the end. It's a Native American word that means generous people.'"

"I have nothing against generous people, especially if they want to give me monetary contributions. Camp Harmony is their summer vacation spot?" Bren asked.

Trace sighed impatiently. "No. Puyallup is a city. They had one of the largest fairs in the United States. One hundred sixty acres and over a million in attendance each fall."

"Great, livestock, midway rides, and crafty exhibits," Bren mumbled.

Trace gave him a pointed look but continued, "During World War Two the government took over the Fairgrounds and used them to temporarily hold 7,390 people. They named the internment camp the Puyallup Assembly Center, also known as–"

"Camp Harmony," Bren finished with her. "Oh. Makes sense White's reverted to that name."

"Yeah," Trace agreed. "Even though it hasn't been held since the Pulse, a lot of people have probably heard of The Fair. Camp Harmony? Not so much."

"How did you become such an expert?" Bren asked.

Trace shrugged, "Washington state history briefing before a mission in the area."

Alec hummed something under his breath, making Trace giggle. She shot Bren a look of relief at the change in Alec's attitude.

"What?" Bren demanded. "No jokes without me."

"It's nothing really," Trace explained. "Just the tune to one of their TV commercials: Do the Puyallup,'" she sang.

Bren snorted. Alec glanced at trace in the rearview mirror. His tone was that of a strategist, but his expression seemed open, less remote and commanding. "Did you go to the Fairgrounds on your mission? The less reconnaissance work we have to do the better."

Trace nodded thoughtfully. 

--------------------

Max's right hand was wedged in the leather circle of the restraint. She wiggled her fingers and pulled, hoping nothing would break or get dislocated. With a grunt, she tugged harder and her hand scraped free. Wiping her damp palm on the green hospital scrubs she wore, Max quickly reached to unfasten the strap around her left wrist. _Please don't let White come back now_. She released her ankles and rolled to a crouch on the floor.

Reaching for the knob, she smiled grimly to find the door unlocked. She slipped out of the room, her eyes adjusting to the darkness and quickly assessing her surroundings. She stood on the second story balcony walkway of a long building. Sliding doors with barred windows were regularly spaced along the wall below, and large double doors stood at either end. Under the eves of the roof, she saw glimpses of night sky outside a row of windows.

Her bare feet made no sound as she made her way stealthily toward the stairs. The part of her mind processing the building layout realized it looked a lot like the horse barn she'd seen once in her childhood.


	16. Skeletal Remains

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: I really do know where I'm going with this. It's just turning into a novel to get there. I'll try to kick up the pace. As always, thanks for the reviews!

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Chapter 16 — Skeletal Relics

Alec pushed a few stalks of weedy grass out of the way and glanced at the fence across the street from the wide ditch. Fifteen feet of chain link fencing was topped by strands of barbwire strung between v-shaped mounts that slanted toward the interior and out over the sidewalk. Climbing the fence and vaulting over the top without getting tangled would take considerable acrobatic maneuvers, even for a transgenic.

Observing the open space and buildings inside the compound, Alec listened as two groups prepared to enter at locations on the opposite side of the old fairgrounds. From the information Dix obtained and Trace's knowledge of the fairgrounds' layout, they thought it likely White held Max in one of the southern buildings.

Trace and Bren were positioned to enter on the northwestern corner, while Nate and Sovee, two X5s, would break in through the grandstand on the northeastern side. The two teams would move quickly over the grounds to the southern end, gathering information as they approached Alec and Nisa. On the slight chance that either team was detected, their entry points at the northern side of the compound would provide a distraction and hopefully draw attention away from Max's probable location. 

--------------------

Max leaned against the wall and peeked quickly around the corner into the dark stairwell. Her enhanced vision separated the guard's bulk from the surrounding shadows on the landing. She continued sneaking toward the building's end, crouching slightly so the railing would shield her from the sight of anyone on the balcony across or the lower floor.

The building was long and fairly narrow with a peaked roof and exposed beams. Max knew she could jump across to the opposite balcony if necessary, but if her pursuers were Familiars they would certainly be able to cross the distance as well. 

She paused at the end of the walkway and glanced up. The floor's chill began to penetrate her bare feet as she considered the low windows under the eves. Her heightened senses allowed her to see the wire mesh outside the glass panes. It was unlikely she could remove the obstacle and slip out the window before the guard on the stairway came to investigate the sound of breaking glass.

Max quickly inspected the floor below, leaning over the railing to see as much as she could of the shadowed area under the balcony. She saw an elbow as a guard passed underneath her toward the far side of the building. She gripped the railing in both hands and her muscles tensed to spring. 

--------------------

Resisting the involuntary urge to shudder, Trace followed Bren past the remains of a large wooden roller coaster. Most of the paint was long gone from the weathered wood, but dirty gray flakes stuck on unevenly in a few spots. The tracks had been removed, presumably recycled in the post-pulse shortage. Wooden posts and supports stabbed up into the sky, the haggard skeletal relics of happier times.

The two transgenics continued through the midway, which looked as though the ghosts had broken free from the containment of their haunted house ride and found many new homes. The customary associations of the carnival section with a cacophony of sound made the eerie nighttime silence seem even more unnatural.

Bren and Trace quickly surveyed the once brightly colored booths. Warped plywood held insecurely in place by rusty nails made it clear the structures had not been in use for some time. The two veered slightly east on a course aiming for the middle of the fairgrounds. They had been able to observe most of the western perimeter before entering, since it housed abandoned rides and the skeletons of roller coasters concealed very little. Sovee and Nate would investigate the buildings on the eastern side, while Bren and Trace searched the central area where White would likely hide his secrets.

Trace wove her way through a scattering of plastic picnic tables, the area covered to shelter those inside from the probable odds of drizzly Northwest weather. Glancing around outside, she gently touched Bren's shoulder and signaled to a large brick building. His eyes scanned the blank wall, devoid of windows and any ornamentation other than the sign labeling it the "Hobby Hall." He nodded at Trace and they approached the steel doors. 

--------------------

Vaulting over the railing, Max dropped lightly to the floor below. She stepped quickly into the darkest shadows below the balcony, but her bare feet made no sound when she landed, and the guard still walked toward the opposite side of the building. She ignored the large sliding doors and blurred across the fifteen feet of open space to crouch under the opposite balcony.

Max glanced quickly around the building. An uneasy knot formed in the pit of her stomach. As far as she could tell, the building had no cameras, motion sensors, or thermal scanners, and only a few guards patrolling. While even a small number of Familiars would mean trouble, none of the sentries seemed aware of her presence.

Trying to account for the nagging feeling that her escape seemed too easy, Max finally shook her head and focused on her next move. She found nothing concrete to account for her unease, so she forced her feelings aside. Max told herself she could sort through her paranoia later, when it would doubtlessly be replaced with the relief of breaking free from White's clutches.

Her hand closed firmly on the cold metal doorknob. It was unlocked and turned easily in her grasp. 

--------------------

Alec made a conscious effort not to fidget impatiently. Both teams had checked in with whispered reports and should be at their strike points in fifteen minutes. None of the buildings Nate and Sovee checked were occupied, but Bren and Trace were preparing to enter the first secured building any of them encountered.

Beside him, Nisa carefully checked her weapon. Suppressing a sigh, her gaze joined Alec's as they studied the compound.

"Something doesn't seem right," she murmured.

Alec raised his eyebrows at her echo of his own thoughts. "Only one guard since we got here an hour and a half ago," he commented.

"Maybe they don't have anything here that important to protect."

"It's the most reliable intel we have at the moment." Alec shook his head slightly. A blank expression settled over the troubled look that briefly flashed in his eyes. His voice was low and steady. "We've handled surprises before. As soon as the others are in place we move in." 

--------------------

Bren watched for any movement in the fairgrounds while Trace picked the lock.

"Got it," she whispered. "We're in." 

--------------------

Max pulled the door open a few inches and peeked out. Her eyes scanned the empty area, noting the fifteen-foot fence that still imprisoned her. Although she felt a little weak, she knew her transgenic abilities could get her over the obstacle. If she jumped halfway up for a foothold, she could vault over the top and avoid the barbwire. The ditch beyond the fence would provide immediate cover, although she wanted to get away as quickly as possible.

Taking a deep breath, Max stepped through the door. She winced when she heard a faint beep, but didn't stop her sprint to the fence. 

--------------------

Flood lights on top of buildings suddenly turned on, exposing Bren and Trace in their position by the door. The two slipped quickly inside, looking at each other in alarm when they heard an almost imperceptible beep.

Making sure the door shut silently behind them, Bren and Trace hurried farther into the building. 

--------------------

Alec and Nisa ducked instinctively as the compound was fully illuminated. A wailing siren pierced the silence. Alec's eyes darted to the figure running across the open space.

"Max!" he exclaimed, standing up straight. 

Her gaze locked on him, although the noise of the alarms covered his voice.

He pulled his gun and fired at the figure coming out the door behind her. Beside him Nisa shot the soldier rounding the left side of the building. Alec readjusted his aim and fired at the man setting his sights on Max from a second story window.

The guard stationed on the stairs had taken a position on the upper floor as soon as the alarms went off. As the bullet from Alec's gun entered his brain, his grasp automatically tightened, firing the weapon he had been aiming. 

--------------------

Max stumbled, a burning pain spreading from her calf. She staggered toward the fence, determined to get over it. She saw Alec jump out of the ditch before reaching as high as she could to grab the chain links. Pulling herself up, the toes of her good foot curled around the wires just below her hands. Another similar move would bring her to the top of the fence, where she could push out and flip over the top. In the back of her mind she Alec would be there to help her when she landed, because it would take time to untangle herself with an injured leg.

She felt something sting her shoulder as she pushed off her good leg, and her balance was disrupted. Reflexively, she grabbed at the air to keep from falling over backwards. 

--------------------

Alec's teeth clenched when he saw the dart hit Max. _No!_ his mind yelled. Her hands automatically gripped the barbwire, and streaks of red began to run down her wrists. He watched her eyes glaze. Her clenching fists relaxed and she thudded in a boneless heap on the packed dirt.

As he prepared to jump the fence, something hit the small of his back and propelled him into the ground. Air was driven from his lungs in a rush, and bullets zipped over his head. Nisa rolled off of him and stretched flat on her stomach with her gun in front of her.

Soldiers streamed around both sides of the buildings, pinning the two to the ground in their crossfire. Gradually, the attackers moved their lines forward to the level of the fence.

Alec shut his eyes against a sudden storm of dust blowing at him. Both transgenics stopped firing, fearing they might hit Max's still form by mistake.

Squinting in the gritty wind, Alec shot the man who jumped from the helicopter. Another quickly stepped over to Max and hoisted under her arms while a third grabbed her legs. She was blocked from view as the two moved toward the helicopter. The soldier dropped Max's legs when Nisa killed him, but the other continued dragging the limp body as another man rushed to help.

As soon as the unconscious transgenic had been shoved inside, the helicopter began to rise. Using the last of the blowing dust as cover, Alec and Nisa scooted backward into the ditch, watching as the mechanical bird disappeared into the night. Soon the sound of its engines faded under the noises of wailing sirens and gunfire.


	17. Enlighten Me

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters, should they decide to present themselves.

A/N: Sorry it's taking me so long to write and post. I have excuses, although they aren't very good. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and hopefully the next won't be too long in coming. Thanks for the reviews! Really, that's what made me sit down and force myself to write today :) 

****

Chapter 17 – Enlighten Me

"Dix," Alec shouted into his comm unit over the noise of gunfire. "Keep a satellite on that helicopter."

"Sir–" Dix began, but Alec cut him off.

"Ground teams report," Alec commanded. He scooted farther down the side of the wide ditch as bullets ripped through the grass above his head. He and Nisa were momentarily pinned by White's men, and Alec considered whether finding another way out of the ditch and sneaking around the men would be more effective than a distraction and attack.

"We're coming around the edge of the barn," Sovee's voice informed him.

The hail of bullets faltered, and Alec seized the opportunity. "Let's go, Nisa."

The two leapt from the ditch, firing on the line of men who were now caught in the open area in the crossfire between the two groups of transgenics. Quickly scaling the chain-link fence, Alec and Nisa rushed in to disarm and subdue the men. 

Most lay scattered on the ground; their blood quickly turned black as the packed dirt absorbed their vitality. Those still living might have information on the landing location of the helicopter, although Alec doubted it.

"Bren? Trace?" Alec called again for a report from the second team. "Dix, where is that helicopter going?" 

--------------------

The darkness hurt. The pain gradually focused its heat into one burning point. Max opened her eyes, clenching her teeth against the searing ache in her leg. Her head pounded to the rhythm of the engine.

White's face entered her field of vision. "It seems you have a bullet in your leg, 452," he remarked. Max glowered at him but said nothing. "Don't worry, we'll remove it immediately," he told her with a small pleased smirk.

Max inhaled sharply when something touched her wound and made pain race from one nerve ending to the next. Even her enhanced body lacked the strength to hold back the dark wave of unconsciousness that crashed over her. 

--------------------

Trace scanned the file names on the computer screen in front of her. Outside the sirens still wailed and light streamed across the ceiling through the small high windows. The large brick building had a smooth cement floor and was sparsely furnished. Only the hum of the computer interrupted the still silence inside. Sensing him behind her, Trace turned to Bren, her face pale in the illumination provided by the computer screen.

"Anything?" she questioned, resuming her study of the files and folders.

"The doors all have a similar locking mechanism," Bren told her. "We can break our way out, but probably not without attracting some attention. Other than that, it's just a big room full of computer stations like this one."

Trace opened a document and her eyes widened with understanding. Bren leaned over her shoulder to read the screen as she slipped a disk from her jacket pocket and began copying files. "That's how they found her," he whispered. "And us," he added as an afterthought at the sound of a door opening.

Bren moved swiftly behind a nearby filing cabinet. Trace ejected the disk and slid from her seat in one fluid movement. Crouching in the shadowed opening beneath the desk, she reached behind her and unplugged the computer. Flashlight beams sliced through the dimness. She glanced at Bren, who nodded briefly toward the approaching footsteps. 

--------------------

"Bren, Trace, report," Alec commanded. He glanced at the fairground buildings for any signs of more attackers. Behind him, Nate clipped a hole in the chain-link fence. Nisa stood slightly to the side with her gun, keeping guard as Alec and Sovee bound and questioned the few soldiers still alive.

Alec swore under his breath at the silence of his comm unit. He motioned to the others, "Let's go to the meeting point. If they're not there in ten minutes I'll come back in."

"Alec." Bren's voice gave a momentary sense of relief to the transgenics. "There are at least a hundred men coming out of one of the central buildings. We'll go out the northwestern corner where we came in and try to draw some to that side of the fairgrounds. You better get out of the way pretty quick though."

"Alright, we'll see you at the meeting point," Alec answered. He nodded to the others. Nisa slipped through the opening cut in the fence and resumed her guard as the others ducked through. They moved into the darkness, leaving the still figures crumpled in the dirt to the harsh glare of floodlights and the howling alarms. 

--------------------

Pain in her leg jarred Max back to consciousness. Too late she jerked her foot from the hand holding it, and a metal band closing around her ankle stopped the action. The abrupt wrench of her wounded leg made Max suck her breath in between clenched teeth, and she blinked, willing the black clouds to clear from her vision. She felt the cold metal restraints on her other ankle and both wrists.

"You started the bleeding again," White's voice chided her from somewhere behind her head. "We'll have someone look in on that later. I'm sure you'll still be around. Nice trick with the leather restraints. I doubt you'll find these as comfortable though."

"Why don't you try them on to compare?" Max craned her neck to glare at him. She still felt woozy and knew she probably looked pale, so she laced her words with as much venom as she could muster.

White merely smirked. "Oh, so you've decided to start talking again?"

"I decided I needed someone worth listening to," she retorted.

He narrowed his eyes. "Then enlighten me with the location of the other transgenic slum-dwellers."

Max raised an eyebrow. "I said I thought I'd chat a bit, not that I'd become your sleepover buddy and tell you all my secrets."

White shrugged. "They tried to help you once–unsuccessfully. I'm sure your sleepover buddies will come to us again. I just thought you might prefer the quicker way out. Before any others have to deal with lingering pain." He moved away, and a door closed loudly.

Max shivered, the wetness of the seeping blood on her leg making her chilly in the cool room. She knew White tried to intimidate her by insinuating that the others were Alec and the female transgenic she'd seen during her attempted escape. If he actually had Alec, he wouldn't be able to resist gloating by showing her his prize.

Closing her eyes, Max tried to push away her anxiety and build up her defenses against her next encounter with White. 

--------------------

A flickering streetlight at the end of the alley seemed to increase the size of three large shadows that closed in on the crouching figure. The muffled thuds and grunts of combat were cut short with an unpleasant snap.

The assailants moved away, leaving a broken shadow sprawled out on the ground. 

--------------------

Alec felt his stomach clench at Dix's report. "We lost the chopper?"

"The company we hacked the satellites from had a computer security breach and we had to pull out before they found us along with whatever idiot tried to hack them," Dix's unhappy voice informed the transgenics waiting in the woods. "We got back online within three minutes, but the Comanche helicopter moves fast and has enough stealth technology that we lost it."

"We'll be back at Terminal City in an hour," Alec informed headquarters. "Have all the intelligence we've gathered ready for me."

White had managed to spirit Max away again. Alec clenched his fists to keep from releasing his frustration in a way that would reveal their location. He heard Trace and Bren approaching, and frowned at the amount of noise they made. It could easily be mistake for a raccoon or other small animal, but they were trained to move silently. The two stepped through the trees with a guard's body sagging between them.

"That explains your noise," Alec snapped.

Bren shrugged as much as he could with his arms under the man's shoulders.

Trace answered for them, "We didn't have time to find it, but hopefully he has the key to White's security system."


	18. Better Chance

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters.

A/N: It's been an embarrassingly long time since I updated, and I don't have any good excuses. I haven't even had a blockjust no discipline to actually write. Oh well. This chapter is dedicated to Jewel and Panda; thanks for always taking a few minutes to review. Celtic Jedi and Willow: You're the reason this got posted before I went off on vacation :)

****

Chapter 18 – Better Chance

Shock. Her body arched as much as the metal restraints allowed.

"Where are they?"

Shock. Her jaw clenched so hard she thought her teeth might crumble.

"How many are hiding?"

Shock. She fought to contain the grunt of pain trying to force its way past her lips. It was a battle she knew would shortly be lost.

"Who is in charge?"

Shock. Her vision dimmed. She wondered if he knew how much electricity a transgenic could handle. Maybe he tested one of the others he caught to find out how much higher their threshold was than a normal human's. Her body was too limp to even shudder at the thought.

Apparently he had. White yanked away wires, and Max returned his glare with a blank stare. He wasn't worth the effort of putting any emotion behind her gaze.

Her nervous system was already repairing itself, and twitched slightly when his palm slammed on the table next to her head.

"Don't worry, we'll try a different method later," he stated menacingly before stalking out of the room.

Max barely sighed and shut her eyes against the unfiltered florescent light above her. Although the gunshot wound in her leg had healed quickly, every inch of her body ached from White's latest method of inquisition.

--------------------

Alec replaced the sheet over the body and walked from medical rooms to the conference table in headquarters without a word. Bren and Nate followed him and silently took seats among the others already gathered.

"Obviously, our efforts to find Max haven't ended the Familiar's assassination of transgenics. They don't have enough information about our fighting strength and the layout of Terminal City, or they would do something other than picking us off one by one," Alec stated. "What do we know about their base security systems?"

Trace began to explain what she and Bren had discovered at the fairgrounds. "Their buildings have system something like a metal detector. It goes off when someone without clearance passes. There are no keypads or card swipes, although the specs we downloaded indicate it's based on a computer chip."

"Dix, have you looked at the body?" Alec questioned.

"I went through his pockets and uniform. After the meeting I'll scan the body while Sovee keeps track of the satellite sweeps," he answered.

"We have to find out where he's holding Max. The longer he has her" Alec finished the sentence with a momentary pause. However, his voice was still devoid of emotion when he continued. "Since our contacts haven't come through with more information, we need to go to the source. We're going to lure the assassination team."

"So you need bait," Mole commented around his cigar.

The others were silent, but focused on Alec as he looked around the table. His scan stopped at Sovee's shaggy black hair and pale skin.

"Nate, you take over the satellite sweeps while Dix examines the guard," Alec instructed. "Sovee looks human enough to be sneaking around outside Terminal City, but the Familiars will also note him enough to find out if he's a transgenic."

Sovee's orange eyes returned Alec's steady gaze as he nodded his agreement.

"Nisa, Mole, come with us to prep for the mission. Dix, tell me what you find with the guard. Bren, help Trace scan media broadcasts for anything that relates to White or us. Keep tabs on our contacts and informers." Alec shoved back his chair and stood, signaling the end of the meeting.

--------------------

Her ears almost rang with the silence while she stared at the ceiling. Max methodically rejected ideas for escape. Her body ached, but she knew it was repairing itself. White made sure she was given enough food and water to stay alive, but no extra. Her tongue felt thick in her mouth, and her stomach grumbled uncomfortably.

Max pulled her thoughts back to freeing herself. Making another chance for herself seemed unlikely, but she could try to be aware of any opportunity. In his arrogance, White was bound to eventually overplay his hand. Still, the black despair at the corners of her mind was becoming more difficult to fight.

--------------------

"Alert us when you sense them, and we'll deploy the rest of the team," Alec instructed Sovee.

Sovee nodded and moved toward the perimeter of Terminal City. Alec and the others returned to headquarters. Dix met them in a rush.

"We found it," he said, holding out his hand.

Alec glanced down to see a computer chip and looked back at Dix.

"This was embedded in the guard's wrist. I have to look at it more and compare it with the information Trace and Bren gathered, but my first guess is that it keeps a sensor system from activating." Dix shuffled his feet slightly at the end of his hurried explanation and glanced toward his computer.

Alec nodded. "Go get started," he dismissed. He walked over to where Nate and Nisa sat at the conference table with a radio. "What's Sovee's status?"

"He's headed to the waterfront and due to check in again in a minute," Nisa answered.

Alec looked at his watch and reviewed their options as the seconds ticked away. Right now they had no viable leads on Max's location. He waited until two minutes past Sovee's contact time. "Tell the team to move to his last known location," he said tightly. "Now."

Nisa grimly radioed the waiting transgenics to relay Alec's orders.

--------------------

Max ignored the blood trickling from her split lip. In spite of her swollen eye, she glared fiercely and silently.

"Do you think you can save them? You know we're already whittling down your numbers," White taunted. "Just because we have you doesn't mean we've ended our other maneuvers." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out some pictures.

Although she showed no outward sign, Max felt as though her stomach was filled with lead. The questions lurking in the dark shadows of her mind were thrust to the forefront. _If White's energy is focused only on them, do they have a better chance of tracking and fighting him? Is it better if I'm out of the picture?_

--------------------

The slash on his neck quickly drained his life, but the eyes of those in the room fixed with horror and anger on the scratches marring his face. Running over cheek, temple, eye, and forehead, red lines intersected in the sickeningly recognizable snake symbol.

Alec slammed his fist into the wall, the plaster crumbling easily. His shoulders were tight with barely contained rage as he stalked from the room.

Trace swallowed convulsively as she looked down at Sovee's body. Her breath hitched slightly, but her voice was low and steady. "Let's go find out what Dix has, so we can finish this."

The others silently finished paying their last respects and filed out of the room after her.


	19. Welcome the Oblivion

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters.

A/N: This chapter is really short (a combination of a 5:45 a.m. call time, getting ready for the holidays, etc.), and it's been months since I last posted. Sorry! At least I managed to get something up before Christmas.

****

Chapter 19 — Welcome the Oblivion

Alec stared blankly at the table. He wasn't sure the last time he slept, but knew from experience that he could function longer with no more than a few minutes rest. Still, at this point he would welcome the oblivion sleep brought. Unless he dreamed.

He shook his head slightly against his last vision of Max. Her hands convulsively gripping the barbed wire as her dash for freedom ended.

He could use himself as bait. When they tried to ambush him he could find out where White held Max. An image of Sovee's face flickered briefly behind his eyelids. Stupid arrogance and frustration advocated that risky idea. The necessity of finding another leader to hold the transgenics together was more likely than his success.

Besides, Max would never forgive him.

Alec sighed and glanced toward the window. Trace leaned against the wall watching him.

"How long have you been there?" he asked more abruptly than he intended.

She shrugged. "A while. Alec" she began, but dropped her eyes to the floor. She smoothed her hair behind her ear and straightened, her tone more purposeful as she started again, "Dix is almost finished with the adjustments. He thought you might want to come check them out."

Alec pushed himself out of the chair. "Go get Bren, Nisa, Mole, and Nate. I'll bring Dix back here with me."

--------------------

Max decided to retreat. It was better for the others if White couldn't hurt her, had no way of getting information from her. He might hold her physically, but in essence she would be locked away. Maybe Alec would find her and she would wake as if this had been a bad dream. If not, well, now or later made little difference.

Closing her eyes, Max finally gave in to the darkness, allowing the hovering void to engulf her.

--------------------

Strobe lights flashed harshly through the smoke and dim light. The small group at the table seemed secluded from those around them, which was the point. After finishing a last round of drinks they rose and headed toward the door.

A few figures detached themselves from the dancing throng and slipped out the back exit.

A shadow detached itself from the wall and drifted through the same door a few seconds later.


	20. Liquid Fire

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters.

A/N: Yes. It has been that many monthsThe end is in sight, although just a very distant glimmer on the horizon if I continue at my current rate. The plan is to speed things up a little, but sometimes life gets in the way.

****

Chapter 20 — Liquid Fire

The pain started near her shoulder, a burning that oozed in the direction of her fingertips and spread outward across her chest. Max's eyes snapped open at the fire infecting her blood and roaring throughout her body just under the skin. Her lungs were paralyzed, or maybe incinerated. Gradually, the tension eased and she took shallow gasping breaths. The fire abated, and she could feel the sweat that had broken out on her body turning clammy.

When she could handle the movement, Max gingerly turned look at her shoulder. A drop of blood welled from the needle prick on her arm. She glanced around the room until her gaze landed on White. He smiled at her.

"Good to see you're back with us, 452." When she only glared at him he waved one hand, drawing her attention to the empty syringe. "One of the many helpful uses of our snake venom. Eventually we discovered the right dosage for a transgenic, although it did take some very precise and extensive testing."

Max lunged at him, although she was barely able to move with the metal cuffs binding her wrists and ankles. His smile was menacing as he continued, " You might want to think about what you'll tell me, now that you no longer have the option to take yourself out of commission."

--------------------

The alley was dark and narrow, the light from the street barely reflected in the water from the most recent rain shower. Three figures moved carefully, quickly forming a defensive circle when large shadows blocked the opening to the next street. Another unit approached the small group from the other end of the alley, effectively blocking them in.

"They're here to kill, not capture," Nate muttered.

"That has been their mode of operation so far," Bren responded only slightly sarcastically.

"Well, I don't plan on it happening again. So pay attention," Nisa snapped as she pulled a gun from her waistband. She clapped a hand to her neck and pulled it back to reveal a small dart. "Better hope they didn't lose us," she slurred, firing a shot before collapsing.

Bren and Nate sped to opposite walls, crouching to make smaller targets and protecting Nisa's inert form by firing at both ends of the alley.

The enemy continued to approach, making the two transgenics concentrate on dodging the darts flying through the night instead of their aim.

--------------------

Exhausted, Max closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep, but the injection made her painfully aware. Her wrists and ankles throbbed from being jerked against the restraints, and the aches had returned in her leg from the bullet wound and in her jaw from White's fist. She guessed that in addition to keeping her from withdrawing into herself, the snake venom dampened her body's ability to heal. She swallowed in spite of the dryness of her mouth and hardened her resolve to protect the others at all costs when White returned continue badgering for more information.

--------------------

"I'm hit," Nate grunted, and Bren cursed softly. The enemy steadily closed in on both sides, only about twenty feet from the transgenics. Bren shot quickly in one direction, then the other. He gritted his teeth against the knowledge that in a short time he would undoubtedly join his friends' bodies slumped on the ground. Wincing as a dart grazed his cheek, Bren drew his shoulders and arms up in an attempt to protect his exposed skin.

Suddenly, figures on both sides dropped out of line. Their comrades, momentarily distracted from their target, turned in confusion. Bren stopped firing and sat back against the wall. He opened his eyes a few minutes later to see figures crouching over Nisa and Nate. Squinting at them, he was distracted by yelling to one side.

"Where did White take her?" a voice he recognized as Alec's demanded. Bren relaxed and shut his eyes again. He frowned slightly, hearing some body part crunch in a way that couldn't be healthy, and shrugged at the sound of dead weight dropping to the ground.

"Nogonna get info 'fya kill'em all," Bren slurred. He pried open his eyes to see who started shaking his shoulder. "Trace, ya made it."

"That was the point of having me shadow you all," she reminded him wryly as she crouched between his stretched out legs. "Sometimes being a wallflower is a good thing."

"Not on this wall. 'S not very comfortable. And my butt's wet," he informed her. "Nate 'n Nisa?"

"Fine," she told him, wiping the trickle of blood off his cheek. "They got enough tranquilizer to be totally unconscious, whereas you seem to be the equivalent of three sheets to the wind."

He looked at her seriously, blinking owlishly a couple times to focus on her face. "Only had one drink at the bar."

"A stupid drunk," she amended. "And a somewhat amusing one. Come on." She hoisted him to his feet and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Good thing I don' get drunk like this often. But you're takin' good care of me," Bren commented as they staggered down the alley.

She elbowed his ribs, but returned his grin. "I won't if you're stupid enough to actually get this drunk on purpose. Do you realize how much alcohol that would take?" Trace shoved him into a waiting van and climbed in behind.

--------------------

Max clenched her teeth as another dose of liquid fire entered her veins. It reminded her that her jaw ached, but that was almost indistinguishable from the other pains and bruises. She would swear even her bones were sore after another round of White's information gathering. Inanely, she wondered if it hurt more when her body arched off the table as electricity coursed through it or when her nerves were flaming from the snake venom. She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat at the thought and closed her eyes against the harsh glare of the florescent lights, hoping that White would accidentally overdose her and end the torture.


	21. In Character and Everything

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters.

**Chapter 21 – In Character and Everything**

Alec examined the wristband Dix handed him. A black strip of flat, sturdy elastic about an inch wide, it would be an unnoticed addition to their gear.

"That will let us in the doors like the Familiar soldiers?" Bren questioned from across the table.

Dix pointed to a small flat disk on the band. "I based it on the computer chip we took out of the soldier you guys brought in. The difference is that from the information on the disk I designed it to reflect the sensor signal, instead of simply giving you entry access."

"We'll be ghosts," Trace commented. "Instead of the main security system logging our entry, no one will know we're even there."

"Now we can all be like you, Miss Silent Ninja," Bren told her. She elbowed him in the side, giving him a look that warned this was not the appropriate time for games.

Alec tossed the band back to Dix. "Thanks. How long will it take you to make thirty?"

Dix thought a moment. "We finished ten while you were out. I think about another hour and we'll have all the chips programmed and ready to go."

"Great." Alec turned to Nisa. "Put together a team of twenty, five to go in with us, five to secure the perimeter, and ten as backup. Nate, prep the vans we'll need and check with Mole about weapons. Trace, go help Dix with the wristbands. Bren will come with me to interrogate the Familiar we caught."

"Don't you usually question people on your own?" Bren asked cautiously.

Alec's jaw clenched momentarily and his gaze was hard. "You're coming to make sure I don't kill him before we find out Max's location."

"Ah, I see." Bren stood to follow him out of the room. "A little good cop bad cop action. You know, sometime I would like to be the bad cop." He glanced at Alec's back. "Not today though, it looks like you're already in character and everything."

--------------------

Trace gathered the pile of wristbands, securing the extras together to put in one of the vans. As she turned away from Dix's desk a couple of the loose ones slipped off the top of the pile and dropped at her feet. She eyed them.

"Don't move." Bren stood in the doorway in front of her. He picked them up and dropped them back on the top of the pile in her arms. Then he pulled a bag out of his pocket and held it open.

"Thanks." Trace let the wristbands drop from her arms into the bag. "You guys finished questioning our prisoner?"

"Yeah."

"Did it go ok?" she asked as they jogged down the stairs to meet the others in front of the building,

Bren shrugged. "We got the information we needed."

"Hold on a sec." Trace tugged on his elbow, stopping him on a landing and motioning for him to lean toward her. She pulled up the side of her black t-shirt and rubbed at a spot on his forehead. He raised the eyebrow under her fingers.

"Dried blood," she told him, holding his head in place as he stiffened. Trace glanced at him and then licked the shirt stretched over her fingers and resumed rubbing.

"Eeeewwww!" Bren whined. "That's such a '50s TV mom thing to do."

Trace pushed his head away. "You'd rather I just keep rubbing until the skin peels off? And I'm so not your mother. If I recall the records right, you're older."

"Only by a few months." The look he gave her was relaxed, and she smiled at the mischievous glint in his brown eyes.

Trace jumped over the last flight of stairs to land by the door. "Come on, I'm sure Alec's waiting."

--------------------

The yellow rising moon gilded the edges of the small waves with gold. The rafts gliding through the water barely disturbed the pattern of ripples, even as the watercrafts bumped against the shore. Four shadows detached themselves from the boats and slid to the boulders at the edges of the shoreline. Silently, the two rafts moved back into deeper water and edged between the pilings under the pier, weaving their way into the slimy darkness.

The shadows on shore climbed the rocks to street level and cautiously approached the structure that balanced on the shore and the dock.

--------------------

Max stared at the ceiling. She vaguely wondered why the florescent lights undulated like snakes yet never made progress from their position above her. She managed to blink in spite of the gritty feeling in her eyes, and the lights stopped their movement. Max held back her sigh. It would hurt too much.

Everything was too much. Licking her chapped lips or closing her eyes took too much energy. Movement hurt when every part of her body seemed to have its own contribution to her constant pain. Even thinking felt like too much effort in pushing past her pain and gathering her scattered thoughts.

When White came in and injected her, the venom was enough of a stimulant that she remembered what he wanted to know. She also remembered everything that rested on her ability to withhold information.

The rest of the time she descended into the unending haze, unable to lose herself to sleep or unconsciousness. As she focused her thoughts momentarily, she wondered how long her body could survive on the combination of IV fluids and snake venom. Probably an unfortunately long time with her physical enhancements. Unless the venom caused more damage than unending pain and an inability to escape. She couldn't focus long enough at the moment to take full stock of her physical condition.

--------------------

Alec quickly checked around the corner and motioned for Bren and Trace to follow him, leaving the last transgenic as a guard.

"Will these still unlock the doors if they reflect the sensors?" Bren muttered under his breath as they approached a metal door.

"Give Dix some credit," Trace countered as the door released with a soft click. They followed Alec into the warehouse, carefully scanning the hallway for any sign of Familiars. The three fanned out across the corridor, checking each room as they passed. At the end of the hall they turned left, knowing from the blueprints which areas would most likely hold prisoners.


	22. Kill the Supports

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters.

**Chapter 22 – Kill the Supports**

Max heard the lock click and fleetingly considered if her hearing would be the first thing to go. She hadn't even heard White walking toward her room, not that she had any strength to prepare or brace herself for their next session. She glanced at the IV in her arm, wondering if the venom would burn as much when she already existed in a cloud of pain. She was pretty sure she had that thought every time he arrived, and the fire in her veins was still the same.

--------------------

"Here!" Alec whispered, shoving his gun at Bren. He disappeared into the room leaving Bren guarding the door while Trace moved quickly and silently to the nearest corner to keep watch.

The movement of the needle in her arm dragged Max's attention from her groggy contemplation of the light fixture. She summoned the energy to blink again, because now her vision must be going. Or maybe she was hallucinating. Still, she didn't think that a figment of her imagination would unfasten the metal restraints on her ankles. She wondered if White had come up with a new trick and closed her eyes.

Max didn't trust her surroundings but was unable to resist any longer. She licked her lips. "Alec?" It was barely more than an exhaled breath.

"Shhh. We'll talk in a few minutes."

Max wondered if White could mimic Alec's voice as well as his movements.

"Alec," came a whisper from the door.

"Yeah, I heard it," he answered. "It must be serious if Archie broke radio silence." He shoved a laser cutter into his pocket and carefully gathered Max in his arms. "Put a bracelet on her," he instructed. "Even if the pulse Archie felt was some kind of silent alarm, they don't have to know which doors we're taking."

Max watched an elastic black bracelet slide over her hand and hang loosely on her thin wrist. She squinted up and wondered how many transgenics White might have impersonated. He could access all their files from Manticore, but she still felt a tiny bubble of hope creep from wherever it had hidden.

"Well, trust Bat Boy to pick up a silent pulse with his sonar."

_Do imposters quip like the real Bren?_ Max wondered as they exited the room.

--------------------

Bren slipped out the door first, soon followed by Alec carrying his burden. A small, lithe figure rounded the corner of the building at a silent run, and reported. "Nate and Kasha are moving through the building without their bracelets, setting off as many alarms as possible. They'll put them back on before they leave. Everything else is in place."

"Good Archie," Alec answered. "Meet them by your entry point and continue as planned."

"They're still assembling teams to send outside the building," Archie warned before moving away as silently as he'd approached.

The door behind Alec and Bren swung open, revealing a Familiar soldier with a drawn gun.

"Put down the girl and put your hands in the air," he ordered. They hesitated, and he readjusted his grip on the gun. Before his finger could tighten on the trigger, the soldier crumpled to the ground.

"Drawing it out for dramatic effect?" Bren asked.

Trace shrugged as she rolled the limp body to the side of the doorway with a shove of her foot. "Well, I had to make sure he swiped the checkpoint."

"Yeah, but what if he alerted the rest of the zombie army?"

"I would have clocked him sooner. Give me some credit, Bren." She glanced back inside. "We better get moving. As annoying as it gets to have people ignore me as they pass, I don't think a whole squad will be so dense when they have to recheck the building."

Alec handed his burden to Bren. "Stay on schedule. You know where to check in and alternate routes if they follow you."

Bren left at a sprint, ignoring the shouts from the windows of the second floor. Trace winced as a spray of bullets kicked up dirt clouds behind him.

"Come on," Alec ordered. She took a deep breath and followed him back toward the waterline. As soon as they stepped off the pier, Alec spoke into his communication unit, "Kill the supports."

A few brief flashes lit the slimy darkness beneath the building, accompanied by low rumbles. With cracking groans, the supports broke and fell into the water, timbers snapping as the dock collapsed. Alec and Trace ignored the falling structure, instead running to the raft at the shoreline.

--------------------

"Van two en route," Bren's voice came over the comm unit. "Looks like we've got a tail. Driver will try to lose them."

Two more vans checked in as Trace and Alec ran through the gravely sand. Both turned at a rumbling roar, seeing an orange fireball flash brightly and then die down to flickering glow.

"Status," Alec demanded.

"Van One still en route."

"Van three en route; we've got a tail about two blocks behind. Shouldn't be hard to lose once we hit the industrial part of town."

"Van Two status?" Alec repeated his order. They waited for a few heartbeats of silence.

Trace drew a strangled breath. "Bren?" Three more heartbeats passed, and still no one answered.

Alec set his jaw and motioned her back toward the raft that had just bumped against the shore. "Come on."


	23. State of the Body

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters.

**Chapter 23 – State of the Body**

Alec and Trace waded into the shallow waves and pulled the raft ashore. Nate picked up a blanket-wrapped figure and carefully passed it to Alec. "Archie and Nisa are headed across the Sound to draw any water patrols," Nate reported as he hopped to shore.

Trace gave no acknowledgment as she slashed the side of the rubber raft. Nate helped her push the raft away from shore where the weight of the equipment would sink the craft as air continued to leak.

--------------------

Alec stood on old pedestrian path running next to the rock wall at the edge of the beach. At the feeling of movement he looked down at the figure in his arms. Max's face looked even paler in the moonlight.

"It's just as majestic from here," she whispered.

"What?" Alec asked.

"The mountain. I'm glad I got to see it again." She seemed too tired to say anything else, but kept her gaze fixed on Mt. Rainier, which stood a silent sentinel, bathed in silver by the moon and reflected in a wavering mass on the waters of Puget Sound.

"We'll come back to see it," Alec promised. He nodded to Nate and Trace as they joined him, and the group moved silently toward the street.

--------------------

Outside the vehicle looked like an ordinary black van, but the inside was as well stocked as any emergency vehicle. Nate took over the driver's seat as Kasha climbed in the back to meet Alec. Together they arranged Max on a stretcher.

Trace pushed the back doors closed as quietly as possible and jumped into the passenger seat. Nate glanced behind him to make sure Max was secure and began driving. Nate kept the headlights off, but the full moon provided more than enough light for him to see. Next to him Trace stared blankly out the window, listening to the reports of the other teams come through her earpiece.

Archie and Nisa were almost to the other side of the Sound where they would ditch their raft and disappear, leaving their trackers with an empty boat. The skill of the other van drivers allowed them to eventually lose their tails. There was still no word from Bren's van, and the activated recovery team had to approach carefully to avoid the Familiars and other enemy soldiers scouring the area.

--------------------

Alec watched stoically as Kasha expertly inserted the IV into Max's arm. Max flinched as the solution began to flow. Kasha held Max's arm still while quietly explaining the need to give her rehydrating fluids. Max continued to struggle weakly, and Kasha motioned Alec to hold her arm still. The medic then attached blood pressure, breathing, and heart monitors before extracting a few vials of blood.

"We might have to sedate her. She's too weak to keep fighting," Kasha observed. "I have to find out what they've been using on her first though, otherwise whatever we choose might have a negative reaction."

Alec nodded toward the equipment at the side of the van. "Start working on her blood. I'll keep her still." He picked up a towel and gently wiped off the sweat that had broken out on Max's skin, so pale she looked almost like a corpse.

--------------------

The van drove out of the gravel parking lot and into the grass behind the small church. Trace silently exited the vehicle and slipped into the building. A few minutes passed before she exited, kneeling next to the overgrown shrubs beside the door and retching. Nate opened his door, but she motioned him to stay. Standing calmly, she wiped her mouth as she walked back to the van.

"Alec, you better come inside for a minute," Trace stated flatly as she grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler between the front seats. "Bring a couple clean towels, too."

Alec followed her toward the church, and Trace took one of the white towels from him, holding it over her nose and mouth as she entered the building. He copied her motion and walked behind her down the silent rows of empty pews toward the front of the church. As they reached the front row, Trace stepped aside and motioned at the ground.

Alec's eyes narrowed at the macabre scene. The state of the body made it obvious death had not occurred recently. The gaping wound at the throat left no question as to the cause of death. One arm was bared where the assailant ripped off the sleeve, and the twining snake symbol cut into the shoulder had obviously been left as a post mortem sign for those who found the body.

Alec dropped the towel held over his face and picked up Owen Shaw's body. "Get a gas can from the car," he ordered over his shoulder to Trace as he walked up the central aisle to exit the church. "We have to get out of here fast."


	24. Steady Green Line

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters.

**Chapter 24 – Steady Green Line**

Alec considered the simple wooden cross marking Owen Shaw's fresh grave. "I hope your beliefs took you to a good place, Preacher. You'd probably advise me against it, but try to understand we were created to be a match against the ones who did this to you."

Trace stood near the old church, watching silently as Alec ducked out from under the weeping willow and approached. She responded with a nod when he asked if everything was prepped.

Alec accepted the box of matches she held out to him and flicked one against the side. The scratch seemed loud in the silence, as did the ensuing crackles from flames that licked along the paths of gasoline. First blue then orange, they climbed the sides of the old wooden building like deadly vines.

Trace and Alec climbed back into the van. Nate drove out of the parking lot, taking them away from the area before the column of smoke drew attention and spectators to the rural area from the surrounding small towns.

--------------------

"Which safe area do you want to go to?" Nate asked as the van returned toward Tacoma.

"We can't move to Terminal City yet. Our teams haven't had enough time to locate the roadblocks Familiars will be setting up surrounding Seattle," Alec said. "Let's go to Madigan Army Medical Center. They won't expect us to use one of their abandon outposts. Tell Mole we'll be at Fort Lewis until we're clear to move back to Terminal City, and as long as it stays safe."

Trace relayed the information as they drove. Then she activated the speaker communication device so they could all hear, telling Alec, "Dix is connecting us with Nisa. She wants to talk to you."

"Archie and I joined the recovery team after coming back across the sound. Bren's van is in bad shape, burned out. We didn't have time to identify or remove any remains before another team of Familiars moved into the area. No sign of any survivors, and Archie didn't sense any movement nearby with his sonar."

Trace closed her eyes and leaned forward, balancing her elbows on her knees and holding her head in her hands.

"Make sure everyone goes to ground in that area, and tell everyone else to keep a low profile." Alec ordered. "I don't want their teams to find anyone."

--------------------

Alec carried Max through the dim dusty hallway, following Kasha as she inspected each of the hospital rooms. Kasha eventually found a room she deemed worthy and motioned Alec inside. He glanced around, noting the location a few doors down from the end of the hallway. They could guard Max adequately, but an escape route was at hand if it was needed. He gently lowered Max to the hospital bed, slightly worried that she had remained unconscious since Kasha drew blood in the van.

Kasha rested a hand on his shoulder briefly, drawing his attention. "Go find an IV stand and basic field supplies. I've got to get her hooked back up to the monitors," she told Alec. She reattached an IV bag of fluids to the tube still in Max's arm. Glancing around she balanced the bag on a lampshade. "I need a real IV stand Alec, I'll call you if there's any change."

Alec nodded and left the room.

He rummaged through a few rooms, leaving usable supplies on the floor outside each door. "Bingo," he murmured under his breath, spotting a sign labeling a supply room. He turned the knob, expecting the door to be locked. As it turned smoothly, he silently drew his gun with his right hand. Easing the door open, he used it as a shield while he scanned the room.

He stopped when his gun came barrel to barrel with another. Both weapons lowered as Alec recognized Trace's face in the dark room.

"I just needed a minute alone," she explained, quickly wiping the tears off her cheeks with her free hand. "Guess I've been out of Manticore too long. I can't just shut down and do the job like I used to." A startled look crossed her face. "I didn't mean...about you...you know..."

"Anything useful in here?" Alec asked her.

"Well, I've been using the toilet paper." She gave him a small, watery smile. "Basic hospital stock. Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"Not at the moment, although Kasha might need the IV fluids or something. She's still waiting for the results to figure out what White used on Max." Worry flashed in his eyes so quickly Trace thought she might have imagined it.

"It shouldn't still affect her; we're designed to recover fast," Alec said, more to himself than to her.

"Give her a little more time to bounce back," Trace advised. "I'd need a break after seeing White's face so often."

Alec handed her some supplies. "Take these back to Kasha while I roll the IV stand, will you?"

"Sure." Trace scooped up a couple more piles of supplies from the floor as she followed him through the corridor. Windows along one side provided views of overgrown shrubbery in the midst of tall evergreen trees. Even the wild tangle and mysterious shadows seemed more welcoming than the institutionally uniform walls on the other side of the hall.

"Has Nate made any progress on a route back to Terminal City?" Trace asked. "There's no way Max will stay here when she wakes up."

--------------------

Alec thought Max looked even worse than before when he and Trace entered the hospital room, her skin nearly the same color as the grimy sheets on the bed. Even her lips looked pale and bloodless.

"Kasha? What's going on?" Alec demanded.

"I'm still trying to figure out what White used on her," Kasha explained, not looking up from her portable microscope. "I just sent a copy of her blood work to Terminal City so they can analyze it too. Dix told Nate how to hack a satellite to upload it."

The shrill alarm of a monitor demanded their attention. Both spun toward the bed and stared in horror at the steady straight line.

Alec instantly jumped on the bed and started chest compressions. "Max wake up!" he demanded. "Hang on. You can't leave us."

He paused only slightly as Kasha pushed him out of the way to give Max a shot of atropine. Alec resumed CPR while Kasha moved to the head of the bed to intubate Max. Both watched the portable monitor for any changes in the steady green line.

"Give her more atropine," Alec ordered Kasha. She waved Nate in from the doorway to take over the intubation and accepted the full syringe Trace handed her.

The four continued working, willing the machine to register a pulse. Alec bent his head to Max's as he worked. "Come on Max," he whispered. "Fight this. Fight me. I'm sitting on you for God's sake, and I'm not going to leave you alone until you push me off. Don't leave me." He straightened and looked at Kasha, "More atropine."

Kasha glanced over her shoulder as she pulled a defibrillator to the bed. "I can't. I don't know how it's interacting with whatever crap White gave her. We've already given her the maximum dose for a transgenic. Any more could kill her. Clear!"

Alec jumped aside as everyone took a step away from the bed. Max's body jerked as Kasha shocked her, but the green line on the monitor remained steady with the shrill alarm tone.


	25. Kamikaze Mission

Disclaimer: Dark Angel belongs to Fox et al. I claim any original characters.

**Chapter 25 – Kamikaze Mission**

Kasha flipped a switch on the heart monitor, leaving the room in a silence almost as horrible as the shrilling alarm. Nate and Trace watched a couple feet from the bed, and Alec seemed frozen on the other side.

"I'm sorry. There's nothing else…" Kasha's voice trailed off into a whisper, letting the oppressive silence blanket them again as they all stared at Max's still form on the bed.

Without looking at any of them, Alec spun and vanished out the door behind him.

Trace sprinted around the bed and into the hallway.

--------------------

She barely managed to catch Alec outside the hospital, and for a second she feared he would pull his arm from her grasp and keep going. Instead, he finally turned to face her, although his eyes looked over her shoulder, his unfocused gaze on the hospital building.

"Alec, where are you going?" Trace asked in between deep breaths.

"White."

"Ok, let me call a team to meet us." She pulled a communicator out of her pocket.

"No."

"You can't go alone. It's suicide." She caught his sleeve again and forced out her next words. "Max wouldn't want it."

Alec glared at her and hand on his arm and she snatched it away, crossing her arms over her chest as if protecting herself. He doubted it was because she was afraid of him.

"She wouldn't _have_ wanted it," Alec ground out in a raspy voice.

"What?"

"Past tense. She's not here to tell me anything." For the first time he looked at her, and Trace had to force herself not to flinch as she glimpsed the shattered look in his eyes. She swallowed, finally able to speak when the emotion buried itself underneath a flat, emotionless shield.

"But you must know she would have wanted you to take over, hold us all together." Trace gave up trying to keep her voice steady. It was all she could do to keep eye contact. "We won't be strong enough to hold out against White and the government if we keep losing people." She tried to ignore the hot tears that overflowed and ran down her cheeks, telling herself it was an uncontrollable physical reaction. Once she got through to Alec she could worry about her own strained emotions.

"That bastard is the reason we keep losing people," Alec responded harshly. He ran again, making no sound as he disappeared into the tangled underbrush.

Trace followed, trying to keep him in sight. "Nate, you and Kasha take Max back to Terminal City," she said breathlessly into her communicator.

"What's going on Trace?" Mole's gravely voice came through her earpiece.

"Trying to…stay…with Alec. Ask Nate," Trace gasped. She almost wished Alec would run on the main highway so that she could keep him in sight as she fell behind. However, moving onto the road would take them both out of the cover the woods provided. Still, she wondered how long she could keep up. Even her own transgenic abilities were no match for Alec's strength, speed, and endurance.

--------------------

Trace shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably, trying to get rid of the itch at the back of her neck where the collar of her jacket rubbed. With two days worth of sweat and grime built up on her clothes and body a lot of other places itched too. At least that discomfort kept her mind off her empty stomach.

Alec had thrown away his communication unit shortly after leaving the hospital. Trace was sure he knew she followed, but he didn't seem to care. She guessed he decided to go with his plan of using himself as bait, counting on White's arrogance to make him hunt the transgenic personally. At least that was the only reason she could think of for Alec's skulking around known Familiar locations, occasionally killing soldiers, vandalizing property, and generally making a nuisance of himself.

Trace sighed as she dropped out of the tree to follow Alec again. At least she had a chance to rest a bit, even if it was only on a rather skinny, rather hard, tree limb. She hoped she would be able to keep Alec from destroying himself on his kamikaze mission. Although if self-annihilation while ruining White was Alec's goal, she supposed she could do little to stop him. However, staying in soldier mode tailing Alec kept her from thinking about other things, and she definitely didn't want to think of those other things right now.

--------------------

Alec left the motorcycle at the southeastern end of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. He ignored the fleeting thought that Max would kill him for leaving a Honda Super Hawk in the bushes. He had stolen the bike and ridden to the bridge without much thought about it, because that led to thoughts of Max.

He walked over the water, stopping about a quarter-mile away from shore, both land masses invisible in the night darkness. Alec turned to face the eastern road and waited. His expression and stance stayed the same as White approached about thirty minutes later.

"Think the dark will give you some transgenic advantage 494?" White asked.

"Nope. Turn on that lantern you're carrying if you want."

White flipped the switch of the battery-powered camping lantern and set it on the sidewalk, creating a small half-circle of light across the roadway.

"Now what? You run at me like a professional wrestler?" White smirked at Alec as he spoke. "Did 452 send you to handle her problems?"

White dodged Alec's fist and aimed a punch at the transgenic suddenly positioned in front of him. The hit grazed Alec as he stepped aside and swept his leg at White's knees from behind. As he went down, White grabbed Alec's leg and flipped him backward. Both instantly jumped up from the damp pavement and stood a few feet from each other.

"Aren't you worried I'll call in reinforcements?" White mocked.

"Nope. There's a chunk of bridge missing on the Gig Harbor side, and you've got all your stooges waiting at the eastern edge," Alec answered. "You don't want them to see me beat you."

They engaged again, each scoring hits and kicks on the opponent. When they broke apart, White wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I'm not worried about you beating me. But if you're here alone, either Max didn't tell you to come," White gave Alec a wicked smile, full of teeth, "or she's dead." He dodged Alec's fist again and this time used his kick to knock the transgenic to the pavement. "Hit a nerve? Pity, she wasn't supposed to go yet. I'll just have to take you back instead." He pulled a tranquilizer gun out of his jacket.

He sprawled to the ground as someone tackled him from behind. Rolling over, he fired at the attacker and turned to shoot Alec, who kicked the gun from his hand.

"One of yours, I presume?" White asked, not even bothering to look at Trace's crumpled form. "We'll leave her as the sign for the rest of your crew to find. I'll be sure to mark our calling card somewhere." His head snapped sideways as Alec landed another punch to his jaw.

--------------------

High above the roadway, another figure moved painfully along the bridge cable toward the dimly lit area that marked the invisible edges of the fighting ring. At least the tall tower was behind and the cable sloped back down to the suspension bridge's deck. Gloved hands reached, gripped the cold, wet metal, and arm and leg muscles strained to pull body weight forward inch by inch.

A chilly wind coming off Puget Sound tried to pluck the figure from the cable. It pulled at hair and clothing with invisible fingers, but dark eyes stayed focused on the two fighting below.

--------------------

"Max isn't the first in your line of failures," White mocked. "Rachel Berrisford." He punctuated each name with a blow, although Alec dodged most of them. "Owen Shaw. I think the trash behind me might be your last though." White landed a particularly vicious kick to Alec's gut, making him double over briefly.

Staying low, Alec aimed his shoulder at White and ran forward. White stood his ground, flipping over Alec's back and jabbing his side while completing a somersault in midair.

Alec looked at the tranquilizer dart rolling on the ground and mentally cursed himself. The dart had only emptied halfway before the movement of his shirt pulled it out of his skin, but Alec could already feel the drug slowing his reactions. He glared at White who approached with handcuffs and another gun.

--------------------

The figure used the metal bridge suspender like a thin firehouse pole and slid down to land just outside the reach of lantern light. Leather gloves dropped silently to the ground as the shadow moved closer to the standoff.

--------------------

"I would enjoy taking you in to torture," White told Alec, motioning with the handcuffs. "But you would probably cause more trouble than you're worth. We can still get a lot of information out of you during an autopsy." He brought the gun up to Alec's eye level.

The crack of gunfire echoed over the dark water.

White's arm dropped and his eyes remained locked with Alec's. White took a shallow breath and blood oozed from the corner of his mouth, slithering like a crimson snake in a trail down his chin and neck. He dropped to the ground, and behind him a figure moved into the light toward Alec.

"Oh God," Alec muttered hoarsely, scrubbing a hand over his eyes. The tranquilizer drug must cause hallucinations. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Looking again, he still saw Max standing in front of him. She appeared thin and pale, but not hazy or translucent. He reached out and pushed a strand of dark hair behind her ear, his hand shaking.

"How?"

She gave him a fleeting smile and shrugged. "You know how Manticore taught us to go into a coma in case of capture to avoid giving away information? That venom crap White gave me prevented it, so my body went into overdrive once it was out of my system. You would have known this morning if you hadn't decided to go all lone wolf."

They both turned as Trace groaned and pushed herself off the ground.

"Ok?" Max asked.

"Yeah, I think," Trace answered as she pushed her hair out of her face. She screeched as someone grabbed her from behind. "Bren!" She grabbed his dark brown hair and pulled his face to hers for a kiss.

Alec and Max raised their eyebrows.

"That's out of character for her," Alec muttered. "And a lot of tongue."

"Nate and Nisa picked him up on their way to the bridge. Must have been after she got knocked out," Max told him.

"Maybe that's why she doesn't talk much otherwise," Alec muttered, not paying much attention to Max's explanation.

Bren broke the kiss for a breath. "If that's all it took to get you to kiss me—" He broke off as Trace smacked his shoulder and pulled his face back to hers.

Alec and Max stepped out of the light and walked back toward the shore. He held her small, cold hand in his scratched and bruised one.

"Feel ok? What did Kasha say?"

"I'm fine. Didn't ask." Max shrugged. "You know she'd want to run all kinds of tests and make me stay in bed forever."

"Ruston Way isn't too far. Want to go see sunrise?" he asked casually.

She looked up at him through her lashes. "If you let me drive the Super Hawk."

"You've still got snake poison in your brain if you think that. Ow!" He winced as her blow hit one of his bruises. "No. You can't drive. But do you really want to pass up a great view of Mount Rainier and Puget Sound at sunrise?"

"I guess not." Max sighed. "But you really should start following my orders when we get back to Terminal City."

"Just like I did before?" He grinned at her, and she smiled back. He leaned close and gave her a gentle kiss.

She smiled again and tugged his hand. "Come on. Sunrise. Beautiful view. Big Mountain."

"You forgot wind blowing through your hair and hanging on to me as we go really fast on a motorcycle."

"Mmm. And more kisses."

They both laughed and walked together through the darkness, listening to the calm sound of the waves hitting the shore, knowing that once again they had survived.


End file.
